An Oakdale couple is recovering from major injuries after a speeding, allegedly impaired driver caused a deadly chain-reaction crash involving three vehicles on a rural Stanislaus County road Saturday night, the California Highway Patrol said.
The crash took place at around 9:30 p.m. on Ladd Road east of Tully Road, near the community of Del Rio. CHP investigators determined that a 2026 Porsche coupe heading westbound at excessive speed collided with the rear of a 2016 Ram pickup truck carrying six people, among them two teenagers and a child. The Ram was forced off the road and overturned. The Porsche then crossed into the eastbound lane and struck a 2023 Mercedes SUV head-on before catching fire. The resulting blaze closed the roadway for several hours as emergency crews responded.
The Porsche's driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The two occupants of the Mercedes, identified as Diana Ybarra, 52, and Manuel Ybarra, 53, both residents of Oakdale, were taken to a hospital with major injuries. A passenger traveling in the Porsche also suffered major injuries and received hospital care. The six occupants of the Ram sustained minor injuries.
Authorities said alcohol is suspected as a contributing factor in the collision. CHP has not released the name of the Porsche's deceased driver, and no arrests had been announced at the time of the initial report. The investigation is active and ongoing.
The crash drew a significant emergency response to Ladd Road, a two-lane rural corridor connecting agricultural communities east of Modesto in Stanislaus County. Residents and first responders reported seeing the Porsche fire illuminate the area for some time before crews brought it under control. No further updates were available as of this report.