On Friday, July 30th, 2021, at 6:18 am, the California Highway Patrol, Hughson Fire Protection District, Keyes Fire Protection District, Denair Fire Protection District, and American Medical Response were dispatched to a reported vehicle collision with injuries at the intersection of E Keyes Rd and Mountain View Rd, Hughson.

When crews arrived on scene, they found two vehicles involved. One was a 2009 Toyota sedan and the other was a 2015 Mack semi truck. Crews immediately declared the driver of the Toyota, later identified as Sukhjit Dhaliwal, 56, of Turlock, deceased. Her passenger, later identified as Avtar Thiara, 58, of Turlock, sustained minor injuries and was ground transported by American Medical Response to a local hospital. The driver of the Mack, later identified as Larry Pearson, 65, of Atwater, sustained moderate injuries and was also ground transported by American Medical Response to a local hospital.

The California Highway Patrol began their investigation and determined that Dhaliwal was driving southbound on Mountain View Rd approaching E Keyes Rd when for an unknown reason, she pulled out in front of Pearson as he was driving westbound on E Keyes Rd approaching Mountain View Rd. Pearson attempted to avoid the collision by swerving to the left, however, he was unable to and the two vehicles collided. The Mack struck the left side of the Toyota causing it to leave the roadway in a northwesterly direction while the Mack left the roadway in a southwesterly collision, rolled over onto its right side, and struck an almond tree.

E Keyes Rd was temporarily closed during the investigation. A detour was put in place with minimal delay to the motoring public. The California Highway Patrol would like to remind all motorists to constantly be aware of their surroundings and obey all traffic signage. The consequences of not doing so could be deadly, as seen in this example.