A Bradley Elementary School student and his father were killed March 22 in Merced County by a suspected drunk driver, the Merced County CHP said.
Noah Reyes, 13, and his father, Adrian Reyes 40, were traveling north on State Route 165, south of Turner Avenue when they were struck head-on by Melissa Rosales, 20, of Los Banos, the CHP said.
As the vehicles approached each other, Rosales crossed over solid double yellow lines into the northbound lane of State Route 165 and crashed into a Honda driven by Reyes. Both occupants of the Honda were pronounced dead at the scene.
Rosales suffered major injuries and was taken by helicopter to Doctor’s Medical Center in Modesto.
Rosales was arrested for felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter. She will be booked into jail when she is released from the hospital.
All occupants were wearing their seatbelts, the CHP said.
In a GoFundMe page asking for help to support Noah’s mother and her family with funeral expenses and other day-to-day needs, family members say that the two were driving home from Noah’s grandmother’s home in Merced County.
Bradley Elementary School Principal Andrew Donnelly Crocker said that Noah “was a beloved member of our 6th-grade cohort and a cherished part of our school community.”
“His warm smile and the strong, positive relationships he built with his peers always brightened everyone’s day,” he said. “Noah’s impact on our school has been profound, and his kindness and spirit will continue to inspire us for a long time to come. He will be deeply missed, but his memory will us.”
