A 54-year-old woman from Tracy died Sunday evening after losing control of her vehicle and crashing into two other cars on Interstate 5 near French Camp Road in Stockton, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
The crash occurred around 7 p.m. when the woman, driving a 2002 Toyota, made an unsafe lane change for unknown reasons. According to CHP, she collided with a 2019 Dodge in the left lane and then veered into a 2024 Acura in the right lane. After hitting both vehicles, her car continued off the road, struck a guardrail, and overturned down an embankment, coming to rest on its roof near the French Camp Road on-ramp.
Both the Dodge and Acura came to a stop on the shoulder of the highway. The drivers of those vehicles, both men from Stockton, suffered minor injuries. Authorities are still investigating whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash. The Toyota driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
This tragic incident is a reminder of the risks associated with unsafe lane changes and the importance of careful driving on busy highways.