MADERA COUNTY, CA — A Madera woman was killed Friday morning when she was thrown from an SUV that overturned on Highway 99 after the driver crashed into a car driven by a Merced woman, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The crash happened just after 9:30 a.m. on November 7, 2025, on southbound Highway 99 north of Avenue 11.
Investigators say a 39-year-old woman from Chowchilla was driving a maroon 2000 Chevrolet Suburban in the fast lane behind a gray 2016 Chevrolet Malibu driven by a 33-year-old Merced woman. Ahead of both vehicles was a white 2024 Lincoln Nautilus driven by a 78-year-old man from El Paso, Texas.
Traffic in the area had slowed to a stop when the Suburban driver, traveling too fast to brake in time, hit the back of the Malibu. The impact sent the Suburban into the center divider, where it rolled over and came to rest partly on the guardrail.
A 52-year-old passenger from Madera who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt was ejected from the SUV and died at the scene. The Merced driver and another passenger in the Suburban were taken to nearby hospitals with minor injuries.
CHP said alcohol and drugs were not factors in the collision, which remains under investigation.
“Always buckle up. Your seatbelt is your first line of defense in a crash. It takes two seconds and can save your life,” CHP Madera Area officers said in a public reminder.
Source: California Highway Patrol – Madera Area
