Two persons were killed and two injured in a grinding Tuesday evening head-on crash on Hatch Road at Boothe Road.

Before the sun rose the next morning, a multi-vehicle crash sent six occupants to area hospitals for treatment of minor injuries.

The crash on Hatch Road occurred at 8:19 p.m. between a white Chrysler 300 and a blue Toyota Prius.

Killed in the crash were an 89-year-old Castro Valley man who was a passenger in the Toyota and declared dead at the scene; and a 36-year-old Ceres man who was driving the Chrysler and who later died at the hospital.

The Ceres Police Department did not release the names of the three victims pending proper notification of next of kin.

A 64-year-old Castro Valley woman who was driving the Toyota Prius sustained major injuries and was rushed to the hospital where she is listed in serious but stable condition.

All three victims were trapped inside the wrecked vehicles until they were freed by Modesto Fire Department firefighters using the Jaws of Life.

The Ceres Police Traffic Unit Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) determined that the eastbound Chrysler 300 crossed over the double-yellow line just east of Boothe Road and went head-on into the Toyota being driven westbound on Hatch Road. Investigators have not ruled out alcohol as a cause for the crash.

Anyone who witnessed the collision is encouraged to contact Traffic Officer Aaron Pinon at (209) 538-5678.

Multi-vehicle pileup on Mitchell Road

On Wednesday morning a series of collisions involving 15 vehicles and three tractor-trailer rigs near the Mitchell Road bridge over the Tuolumne River sent six occupants to area hospitals for treatment of minor injuries.

The series of crashes began at 5:09 a.m. north of the bridge and it’s believed that zero visibility from the fog lying along the river was the primary contributing factor.

The Department of Environmental Resources was dispatched to the scene to mitigate the spill of approximately 100 to 150 gallons of diesel fuel.