By Khalida Sarwari
A road trip turned deadly for a group of women traveling on Highway 120 east of Groveland over the weekend. The only surviving member was a woman from Saratoga who, as of Oct. 27, was still listed in critical, but stable condition.
The California Highway Patrol identified the woman as Jeongsoo Yang. She was traveling with four other women in a 2012 Mercedes-Benz SUV on Highway 120 at Smith Station Road at about 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 when it collided head-on with a 2012 Nissan Maxima, according to CHP Officer Nick Norton. The impact caused the Mercedes to catch fire and spread to the grass outside. It also immediately killed five of the seven people involved in the crash.
Not only did the four women in the Mercedes die, but so did the occupants of the Nissan. The driver of that car has been identified as 22-year-old Marcos Lopez Martinez of Groveland. He died at the scene, according to Norton. His passenger was identified as Sasha Magana, also 22, of Merced. Magana was flown to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto with major injuries. Groveland is located near Yosemite National Park.
Yang, who appears to be in her 50s, according to Norton, was also airlifted to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto with major injuries. According to the San Jose Mercury News, she suffered several broken bones, damage to her spine and stomach injuries that required immediate surgery. It appears she was sitting in the rear of the car, said Norton.
“She was already out of the vehicle when responders got to the scene,” he said.
As of Tuesday, the identities of the other women had not yet been confirmed because they all suffered major burns in the fire that occurred from the crash, said Norton.
Investigators are still putting the pieces of the crash together to determine exactly how it occurred. Norton said they haven’t yet ruled out drugs or alcohol as factors.
“We know that somebody crossed over the double yellow,” said Norton. “We’re still sorting that out.”
It appears that the group Yang was traveling with were all members of the same South Bay Bible study group, according to the Mercury News. Her daughter, Grace Ong, told that newspaper that the women were away on a “brief trip.”
“All we ask are for everyone to keep our mom in their prayers,” her daughter and sons, Real and Sam, said in an email to the Mercury News. “Our hearts are heavy and saddened for those lives that were lost and for their grieving families. “We ask everyone to also pray for them as well.”
Link: Fiery accident proves deadly, but Saratoga woman survives crash
