A 53-year-old Modesto died from injuries sustained in an early Wednesday morning head-on crash just outside of the northern Ceres city limits on Mitchell Road.

Two others in the victim’s 2025 Ford SUV sustained major injuries and were rushed to a Memorial Medical Center. According to the California Highway Patrol, the two severely injured occupants were a 34-year-old Hughson woman, and a 67-year-old Waterford man.

The crash was reported at approximately 5:47 a.m. just south of Tenaya Drive. Emergency personnel arrived to find two vehicles with major front-end collision damage.

The woman driving the Ford was rushed by ambulance to Memorial Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.

The driver of a 2007 Cadillac SUV, Noel Mendoza-Manlulu, 64, of Modesto, suffered minor injuries and was also taken to the hospital.

The CHP’s preliminary investigation indicates that for some unreason reason the victim’s northbound Ford crossed over into the southbound lanes near Tenaya Drive and collided head-on with the Cadillac.

Both vehicles came to rest partially blocking Mitchell Road.

All occupants were wearing their seatbelt, the CHP said. It is unknown if drugs and/or alcohol contributed to this collision.