On Sunday, November 8th, 2020, at approximately 5:20 pm, the Turlock Police Department received a call of an injury vehicle collision involving two vehicles on Lander Ave just north of E Linwood Ave. The Turlock Police Department responded along with American Medical Response and the Turlock Fire Department with Battalion 4, Engine 31, Squad 32, and Engine 34.
Officers, firefighters, and paramedics all arrived on scene within minutes to find two vehicles that had collided resulting in four people suffering minor injuries and an 11 year old female unconscious suffering major injuries. Officers also discovered that the driver of one of the vehicles had fled the scene on foot. The 11 year old female was immediately loaded onto the first ambulance to arrive on scene and transported to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. The other four occupants were all loaded in to a second ambulance and also transported to a local hospital.
While officers were investigating this collision, they noticed a male down just south of their location. They went to him and he reported that he was sideswiped while riding his motorcycle and that the driver had failed to stop. An ambulance was requested for him and he was transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries. It was later determined that the vehicle that had hit him was the same one involved in the original collision that the driver had leg bailed from.
The vehicle that the male had leg bailed from was a gray Ford SUV. The other vehicle involved was a red Honda sedan. Both vehicles sustained moderate to major damage. The motorcycle involved was a Harley Davidson that had suffered moderate damage.
The Turlock Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) was called out along with both Turlock and Modesto Police detectives to investigate the collision. The investigation caused roadway closures for nearly seven hours. Preliminary information shows that high speeds were a factor in these collisions. It is currently unknown if drugs or alcohol were involved.
The owner of the Ford SUV voluntarily went to the Turlock Police Department the following morning for an interview. He was identified as Josue Leyva, 25, of Turlock. After determining he was the driver of the vehicle at the time, he was arrested and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on charges of vehicular manslaughter and multiple counts of felony hit and run.
The investigation remains on going. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Officer Gregory Roton at 209-668-6536 or by email at GRoton@turlock.ca.us. You can also leave an anonymous tip at the Turlock Police Department’s tip line at 209-668-5550 extension 6780 or by email at tpdtipline@turlock.ca.us.
