High-speed crash leaves 4 dead, including 3 Turlock family members on the way to church
A crash in Turlock on Sunday killed four people and sent two others to the hospital, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP said a 22-year-old Modesto man was speeding in an Infiniti on northbound Highway 165 around 9:25 a.m. The man was approaching Greenway Avenue when he hit a Jeep SUV that was at a stop sign.
The Jeep driver, a 44-year-old man, crossed the intersection heading westbound on Greenway when the Infiniti broadsided the Jeep, CHP said.
The Infiniti driver was not wearing a seatbelt, and CHP said he died at the scene. The driver of the Jeep and his front-seat passenger, a 45-year-old Turlock woman, also died at the scene.
CHP said a 16-year-old girl who was in the backseat of the Jeep went to the hospital and later died of her injuries. A 19-year-old woman and 14-year-old boy, both from Turlock, are in the hospital in critical condition.
All passengers in the Jeep were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash, CHP said.
The Ceres Unified School District confirmed that the woman who died in the crash was one of their teachers, Jennifer Lourenco.
"Mrs. Lourenco was a moderate-severe teacher at Sinclear Elementary School and was Sinclear’s Teacher of the Year in 2023-24," the school district wrote in a statement. "She was a gifted and dedicated educator and a beloved colleague whose loss will be deeply felt throughout the school community. The district has counseling services available at Sinclear and all other CUSD schools for any students and staff who need support."
On Monday, the Stanislaus County Coroner's Office identified the four people. They are:
- Daniel Lourenco, 44
- Madelynn Lourenco, 16
- Uriel Guizar Negrete, 22
- Jennifer Lourenco, 45
Lourenco was a student at Pittman High School, along with the 14-year-old who was injured, the Turlock Unified School District said.
The school's principal said in a message to families that staff are "deeply saddened by this tragedy and our hearts go out to this family and their loved ones during this very difficult time."
Pitman is making counselors and chaplains available this week to support students, faculty, and staff.
Our Lady of the Assumption Church said the family was on its way to church when the crash happened.
The crash caused Highway 165 to close for several hours but the road has reopened, Caltrans said.
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