August 17, 2021 - Merced – On August 15, 2021, at 11:35 P.M. Merced police officers responded to E. state route 140 near Kibby Rd. for a multiple vehicle collision with one of the vehicles on fire. Merced CHP units were on scene after hearing the collision. They were in the area due road construction. CHP officers were able to pull out the solo occupant of the burning vehicle before it was fully engulfed.

The accident was caused when a (43) male struck a vehicle that was one of four cars stopped for the road construction. The responsible vehicle then drove off the roadway and caught fire. There were only minor injuries to several of the other occupants of the stopped vehicles.

The driver of the pickup that caused the collision was flown to a Modesto hospital and is in critical condition. Alcohol is believed to be a factor in this collision.

Case Number: 21-49210

Merced Police are asking anyone with any information regarding this crime to contact Officer Crain at 209-388-7754 or by email at crainl@cityofmerced.org.

Other ways to contact us or report crime include:

For any emergency call or text 911

For non-emergency call 209-385-6912

Anonymous Tip Line (Non-emergency) call 209-385-4725

Anonymous Tips online at http://www.mercedareacrimestoppers.org/index.html.

Some crimes can be reported online through the Merced PD website https://www.cityofmerced.org/departments/police.

Source: Merced Police Department