Merced County, CA – On the evening of Saturday, February 15, 2025, a 17-year-old driver died after their vehicle crashed into a canal in Merced County, according to KSEE.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reports that the accident took place around 7:00 PM near Snelling Road and Youd Road.
Authorities say the 17-year-old driver from Merced was traveling northbound on Snelling Road in a 2016 Nissan Altima when, for unknown reasons, the vehicle veered onto the west dirt shoulder. The car crashed through a fence and entered a canal, becoming submerged in water.
Emergency crews from Cal Fire and the Merced County Sheriff’s Dive and Rescue Team responded to the scene and extricated the driver and a passenger from the vehicle.
The driver was transported to a local hospital in Merced and later transferred to Children’s Hospital in Madera, where they succumbed to their injuries.
The condition and identity of the passenger have not been released.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Single-Vehicle Collisions & Comparative Negligence
In some cases, investigations may reveal that even in a single-vehicle accident, nearby drivers or unsafe road features share some responsibility.
California’s Comparative Negligence rule means that, even if those injured in accidents are found partially at fault, they may still be eligible to receive partial compensation for damages.
Merced Personal Injury and Accident Lawyer
If you or someone you love was harmed in an accident like the one described here, contact a Merced Personal Injury and Accident Lawyer for any questions or to receive a no-cost, no-obligation case assessment.
