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Turlock woman killed in crash outside Hilmar
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An early morning accident near Hilmar claimed the life of a Turlock woman and injured two other women, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The deceased was identified by the Merced County Coroner’s Office as Jessica Marie Barrera, 32, of Turlock.

Barrera was killed in a rollover collision in the area of Mitchell Avenue and Turner Road. Two passengers — Tina Marie Garcia, 35, and Rosa Marie Rivera, 40, both of Modesto — also sustained major injuries in the crash.

Barrera was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer eastbound on Turner Road around 5 a.m. Friday. The CHP report states Barrera was driving the vehicle at an “unknown but high rate of speed” when she lost control navigating a left curve in the road at Mitchell Avenue.

The vehicle continued traveling eastbound off the road, directly into the path of a tree. The vehicle struck the tree and some barbed wire fencing, before overturning and coming to a stop on its roof, said Merced area CHP spokesperson Officer Moises Onsurez.

Barrera was not wearing a seat belt and sustained fatal injuries from the crash. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Garcia was sitting in the front passenger seat and was using a seat belt at the time of the collision. She sustained major injuries and was taken by ambulance to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto.

Rivera was sitting in the back seat on the right side and was not wearing a seat belt. The collision left her with major injuries as well. She was transported by air ambulance to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto.

The condition of the two passengers is not known at this time.

The collision remains under investigation and it is unknown at this time if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.