A passenger is killed with seven other farmworkers injured after being struck in a hit-and-run crash in West Los Banos Merced County early Thursday morning.
The crash was reported to local authorities at about 5 a.m. The driver was in a white 2001 GMC Safari driving northbound on the way to work and approached Highway 152 off-ramp.
The vehicle then slowed to drive onto west of 152 when it was reportedly rammed into by a big rig. The force of the collision caused the van to crash straight through a guardrail east of the highway, rolling down into an embankment.
One of the seven passengers was pronounced dead at the scene. Three were hospitalized. Four had worn a seatbelt and sustained only minor injuries. All the men involved ranged from 19 to 30-years-old.
The big rig then reportedly continued to drive forward after colliding into the van.
