April 5, 2014- An early Saturday car accident killed a 31 year old Visalia woman, in Merced County. The collision happened on Highway 140, at approximately 12:17 AM.
The woman, was walking along the side of the highway with her bicycle, near Orchard Drive in Merced. Stephen Coelho, of Hilmar, was driving a 2007 Oregon Roadrunner hay squeeze, reportedly at 55 mph, when he did not see the pedestrian until the last second.
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| Map courtesy of abc30 |
Coelho reported to the CHP that there were no lights and the woman was wearing dark clothing, so he didn’t see her, until it was too late. He tried to swerve out of the way, but hit the woman on the right front side of the vehicle. Throwing her to the north shoulder of the roadway.
The hay squeeze then lost control and spun out after crashing into the woman. The vehicle came to rest in the intersection.
The Visalia woman died at the scene of the accident. Stephen Coelho received minor injuries.
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