Three people killed in head-on crash on Santa Fe Drive identified by Merced coroner

Andrew Kuhn
·1 min read

The Merced County Sheriff Coroner’s Office has identified three people killed in a head-on collision Sunday as David Faulkner, 33, Jenny Faulkner, 33, both of Merced, and Amandeep Toor, 38, of Atwater, according to Deputy Daryl Allen.

California Highway Patrol officers responded to the collision involving a Jeep Patriot and a Nissan Rogue just before 6 a.m. on Santa Fe Drive west of Franklin Road. According to CHP Officer Eric Zuniga, investigators believe David Faulkner was driving the Jeep westbound on Santa Fe Drive with passenger Jenny Faulkner.

Authorities said it appears the Jeep crossed over into the eastbound lanes of Santa Fe Drive where it collided head-on with the Nissan driven by Toor. Emergency medical personnel responded to the crash and all three occupants were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

According to Zuniga, due to evidence located at the scene, alcohol may have been a factor in the collision which remains under investigation.