A resident of Dos Palos lost his life on April 28 following a single-car crash on the city’s outskirts.
The Los Banos office of the California Highway Patrol reported that the crash took place at 5:40 p.m. on Palm Avenue north of Carmellia Avenue.
CHP spokesman Shannon Stiers said that a 1998 Ford F-150 pickup was heading north on Palm Avenue at an unknown rate of speed.
“The driver appeared to allow the pickup to drift onto the right shoulder of the road,” said Stiers.
The driver then over-corrected to the left, resulting in the pickup traveling across the northbound lane into the southbound lane of Palm.
“He then made another turning movement to the right, again over-correcting, and traveled back across the northbound lane, back onto the right dirt shoulder,” said Stiers.
The pickup then rolled into an empty irrigation canal, coming to rest on its wheels in the canal. It resulted in fatal injuries to the driver, who was the lone occupant.
The Merced County Coroner’s office identified him as 60-year-old Jose De Jesus Nicasio of Dos Palos.
Officer Stiers added that alcohol appeared to be a factor in the crash and that the victim was unrestrained.
“We would like to remind drivers to wear their seatbelts at all times,” he added.
