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Pedestrian badly injured in Turlock collision
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A 20-year-old woman was critically injured in a hit-and-run collision Christmas night in Turlock, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The woman, identified as Jennifer Metzger, 20, of Turlock sustained major injuries and was taken by air ambulance to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto.

Metzger was crossing S. Center Street, south of F Street when she was hit by a 2000 Toyota model vehicle. The collision happened around 9:45 p.m. Monday.

The driver of the vehicle did stop immediately after the collision and checked on Metzger, but then fled the area just as emergency personnel and law enforcement were responding. Turlock Police officers were able to stop the car on Lander Avenue and took the driver into custody. The driver was identified as Mario Ambriz, 53, of Turlock.

Ambriz and his passenger, Riley Adam Dunn, 24, of Turlock were not injured in the collision, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Alcohol and drugs did not appear to be factors in the collision.

Ambriz was booked into the Stanislaus County Jail on a charge of felony hit and run. As of Tuesday afternoon, he was still in custody in lieu of a $10,000 bail. Ambriz has a current case open for being an unlicensed driver and failing to stop at a posted stop sign. He also had a conviction in September for using a cell phone while driving, according to the Stanislaus County Superior Court records.