Merced County, CA (July 11, 2024) Two children, ages 4 and 8, sustained serious injuries in a two-vehicle collision on Monday evening, July 8th. Two adults were also injured in this collision that occurred on Highway 152 in Merced County, near Lodi Road. The accident occurred right around 8:30 p.m. and ended with 25-year-old Elizabeth Garibay being arrested for DUI and child endangerment.
A 2007 Toyota Camry, driven by 25-year-old Elizabeth Garibay, was heading west on Highway 152 in Merced County on Monday evening. A 2013 Nissan Frontier was driving in front of her and Garibay attempted to pass the slower vehicle. However, in doing so, she somehow managed to rear-end a pickup truck at a fairly high speed. The driver of the pickup, as well as Garibay, lost control of their vehicles, reports indicated. The Nissan ended up overturning and came to a stop in a drainage ditch, officers reported.
Emergency personnel arrived at the scene and found the Nissan on its roof in the drainage ditch on the shoulder of the highway. The pickup and Toyota were both stopped in the middle of the roadway with major damage, officers reported. Authorities checked all three vehicles, ready to give medical aid to anyone in need. They found two children inside the Toyota Camry with serious injuries. The children were 4 an 8 and officers reported that neither child was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Paramedics loaded both children into ambulances and rushed them to Valley Children’s Hospital.
The drivers involved had received only minor injuries, officers reported. They were treated at the scene by paramedics. Officers determined that Garibay appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. Her blood alcohol level was .08 and she was arrested at the scene by police officers. She faces several charges, including child endangerment with great bodily injury or death and DUI charges.
The Los Banos California Highway Patrol is leading the investigation into this DUI collision. Authorities want to remind the public that all children should be wearing seat belts any time they are inside a moving vehicle.
All of us at Accident News Now wish the two injured children a full and quick recovery following this traumatic accident in Merced County. If you or someone you care about has been affected by this accident, our team of legal experts is ready to help you during this time.
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