NORTH VALLEY - Two UC Merced students were very tragically killed Saturday morning when the car they were riding in crashed into a power pole on Lake Road, ABC News reported. The fatal accident was reported around 10:30 a.m. near Atlantic Street, just a few miles from the UC Merced Campus. The details of the incident were somewhat limited; investigators reported the group of four students had left the campus to head toward Fresno to spend the Easter Holiday with their families when one of the victims who was driving veered off the roadway and struck a power pole. Two of the occupants, Jessica Paulina Lopez and Leslie Alvarez, both 19, died in the crash. Two other occupants, a man and woman ages 18 and 19, were injured. According to the CHP, all four teenagers were wearing seat belts. Alcohol, drugs, and speeding were not believed to be factors. The CHP is reportedly investigating the possibility of distracted driving, which could have caused the vehicle to veer off the road. The cause of the April 23rd Merced County accident is under investigation.
Sources: ABC Local News, Merced Sun Star
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