Driver killed in multi-vehicle collision on Santa Fe Drive near Atwater, CHP says

Authorities are investigating collision involving multiple vehicles that left one driver dead near Atwater in Merced County on Tuesday.

At 5:17 p.m. officers responded to the collision near the intersection of Santa Fe Drive and Avenue Two, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Eric Zuniga.

According to the CHP, a 52-year-old Winton woman was driving a 2015 Nissan Sedan eastbound on Avenue Two approaching a stop sign at the intersection with Santa Fe Drive. According to Zuniga, it appears the woman attempted to make a left turn onto Santa Fe Drive directly in front of a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser traveling southbound on Santa Fe Drive, driven by 39-year-old Antonio Rojas of Merced.

Authorities said the front of Toyota collided with the front of the Nissan. The collision sent the Nissan in a southeast direction where it collided with a 2018 BMW driven by 26-year-old Rayanne Jawad of Atwater, who was stopped in the left turn lane of Santa Fe Drive, waiting to turn onto Avenue Two.

The driver of the Nissan was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Zuniga. Neither of the other two drivers involved in the collision reported injuries and the drivers were cooperative with authorities. According to Zuniga, neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected to be a factor in the collision which remains under investigation.

Authorities have not released the identity of the deceased pending notification of family.

Anyone with information regarding the collision is asked to contact the California Highway Patrol at 209-356-6600.