Pedestrian and motorcyclist killed in separate crashes on Merced County’s west side

A pedestrian and a motorcyclist were both killed in separate crashes on Merced County's west side over the weekend, according to authorities.

At about 4:50 p.m. Sunday, Los Banos area California Highway Patrol officers responded to a reported collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on Interstate 5, just south of State Route 33. Based on a preliminary investigation, it appears a 24-year-old Norwalk man was driving a 2014 Audi south on Interstate 5 at about 70 mph in the number one lane, according to the CHP.

At the same time, a man believed to be from Santa Nella, was walking eastbound within the southbound lanes of Interstate 5. Authorities said it appears the driver swerved in an attempt to avoid a crash but the front of the vehicle struck the pedestrian causing fatal injuries.

Later that day at about 7:15 p.m., officers responded to a collision involving a pickup truck and a motorcycle in the area of Volta Road, north of Highway 152. The CHP reported that a 32-year-old Los Banos man was driving a 1999 Chevrolet pick up truck southbound on Volta Road at the same time a man, believed to be from Los Banos, was riding a 2020 Suzuki motorcycle on Volta Road in the opposite direction.

The CHP said the truck crossed the broken yellow line in the roadway to make a left turn into a driveway. The front of the truck struck the front of the motorcycle and the rider died of his injuries at the scene. The driver of the truck was not injured.

The names of the victims were being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.

Neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor in either collision, the CHP said.