Good Samaritan killed in suspected DUI crashes on Highway 99 in California
A good Samaritan, who was helping out another driver, was killed in a suspected DUI crashes Sunday morning.
The California Highway Patrol responded to Highway 99, north of the westside Boulevard in Atwater of a reported seperate crashes.
CHP said Sincere Collins of Atwater was driving a GMC Acadia southbound on Highway 99, north of Westside Boulevard when for unknown reasons made an unsafe turning movement to the left causing the GMC to collide with the guardrail that came to rest on its wheels, blocking the No. 1 lane.
A good Samaritan, described as a man, pulled over in the center median to assist Collins and the other occupants of the GMC, CHP said.
At 4:18 a.m., a 23-year-old Merced driver, identified as Yessica Partida, was in a Honda Civic within the No. 1 lane of southbound Highway 99 north of Westside Boulevard, at an unknown speed when for unknown reasons Partida did not see the disabled GMC in the lane and the left front of the Honda crashed into the left rear of the GMC.
The good Samaritan was standing near the right side of the GMC while attempting to assist the right front passenger and was struck by the Honda.
The good Samaritan sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead, CHP said.
The GMC and Honda became disabled, blocking the southbound lanes of Highway 99, north of Westside Boulevard.
CHP said an evaluation of both drivers was conducted and both drivers were found to be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol (DUI) at the time of the crashes.
Collins was arrested for suspicion of DUI and transported to Memorial Medical Center for moderate injuries. Both passengers in the GMC sustained moderate to major injuries and were transported to Memorial and Doctors Medical Center.
Partida was arrested for suspicion of felony DUI and was transported to Memorial Medical Center for moderate injuries.
Both traffic crashes are under investigation, CHP said.
This story was originally published March 17, 2025 at 2:43 PM with the headline "Good Samaritan killed in suspected DUI crashes on Highway 99 in California."
