California

Saratoga Woman Survives Deadly Weekend Collision Near Yosemite National Park

A Saratoga woman is one of two survivors of a two-car collision that killed five people in Tuolumne County near Yosemite National Park over the weekend, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said.

The woman, identified as Jeongsoo Yang, was a passenger with four other people inside a 2012 Mercedes-Benz SUV on westbound state Highway 120 at Smith Station Road in Groveland, where they collided with a 2012 Nissan Maxima heading east around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, CHP spokesman Nicholas Norton said.

The Mercedes, registered out of San Jose, ignited after the collision and sparked a small grass fire, which was quickly extinguished by emergency crews, according to Norton.

A woman driving the Mercedes was killed in the crash as were three passengers in the car, he said. The names of the four victims will not be released until they have been identified and their next of kin have been notified, according to Norton.

Yang, who is in her 50s, suffered major injuries and was flown to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, Norton said.

Marcos Martinez, 22, of Groveland, was driving the Nissan and was also pronounced dead at the scene, Norton said.

His passenger in the Nissan, 22-year-old Sasha Magana of Merced, was airlifted to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto with major injuries, according to Norton.

The roadway was closed for about five hours after the crash, Norton said, adding that investigators are looking into whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the collision.

People with information about the collision are asked to call the CHP's Sonora area office at (209) 984-3944 and ask for Officer Griefer.
 

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