A man and a woman died over the weekend in separate fatal vehicle collisions in areas of unincorporated Santa Clara County, authorities said.
The first collision occurred around 6:34 p.m. Saturday, when a Ford sport utility vehicle left the roadway and collided with a tree in the area of Monterey Road and Church Avenue, according to a news release from the California Highway Patrol Hollister-Gilroy Area Office. The front seat passenger, identified as a 31-year-old woman who resided in San Martin, died.
During their investigation, officers determined that speed played a role in the collision, authorities said, though they did not specify how fast they believed the vehicle was traveling at the time of the crash. The vehicle’s driver, who officers did not identify, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” Area Commander Captain Noel Coady said in the news release. “Disregarding traffic laws has predictable but preventable outcomes. This tragic loss of life serves as a reminder to prioritize arriving at your destination safely, rather than quickly.”
The second incident occurred around 2:49 a.m. Sunday in the area of San Martin Avenue and Colony Avenue, authorities said. When they arrived at the scene, investigators found that a vehicle had struck a pedestrian. The pedestrian was unresponsive in the road and ultimately died of his injuries.
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Officers added that, in their investigation, they found that the man had been lying in the street prior to the collision.
The man was identified as a 21-year-old resident of Gilroy.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” Coady said. “Pedestrian safety is everyone’s responsibility and becomes more challenging when visibility is limited, such as during hours of darkness. Drivers need to be cognizant of their surroundings at all times, while pedestrians need to ensure they are highly visible and plenty of time and distance exists before attempting to cross the path of vehicle traffic.”
The identities of the decedents will be released by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s Office pending identification and notification of next of kin.
Anyone with further information on either incident is asked to call the CHP Hollister-Gilroy Area Office at 408-427-0700.
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