Salida, CA – On the early morning of Thursday, July 10, 2025, a two-vehicle collision resulted in the death of Victor Martinez Gonzalez, 67, according to The Modesto Bee, with additional reporting from CHP Fatal.
The California Highway Patrol reports that the accident took place around 3:41 AM at the intersection of Covert Road and Toomes Road.
Emergency responders found a Toyota sedan in a field southwest of the intersection. Gonzalez, a Salida resident and the vehicle’s sole occupant, was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities believe he had been traveling south on Toomes Road and had stopped at the stop sign before entering the intersection.
Investigators determined that the second vehicle, a 2006 Honda sedan, had been traveling westbound on Covert Road when it allegedly failed to stop at the stop sign and struck the Toyota broadside. The driver of the Honda, identified as Luis Mercado-Ulloa, 20, of Modesto, reportedly fled the scene.
Officers located the Honda about a mile from the crash site, near Hammett and Bacon roads. The vehicle had major damage to the driver’s side and required a flatbed tow. According to the CHP, Mercado-Ulloa was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
Mercado-Ulloa was arrested and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on suspicion of felony DUI, hit-and-run, and vehicular manslaughter. Evidence from the collision was collected and transported to the CHP office for further analysis.
California DUI Law
Section 23153(a) of the California Vehicle Code (CVC) states that it is illegal for any driver to “Operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs and, as a result, cause bodily injury to someone else.”
California Hit-and-Run Laws
California Law requires drivers involved in a collision to stop their vehicle, notify law enforcement, and exchange insurance information with others involved. Failure to do so, considered to be a “hit-and-run,” is a misdemeanor in cases of property damage and a felony when someone has been injured.
Modesto Wrongful Death Lawyer
If you or someone you love was harmed in an accident like the one described here, contact a Modesto Wrongful Death Lawyer for any questions or to receive a no-cost, no-obligation case assessment.
