Delhi wrong way driver ends in fiery fatal crash

DELHI, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Merced County Sheriff's Office has identified the man who died in a late night car crash as Jimmy Guerrero. Deputies say Evan Garcia was allegedly driving the wrong way on the Freeway 99 near Delhi when he plowed into three cars.

It all started just after 11:30 Monday night in the area of Highway 99 and Shanks Road in Delhi. CHP says Garcia, the driver of a Toyota Camry, was driving northbound in the southbound lanes where construction was taking place.

The car hit three other vehicles. One of the cars struck overturned and hit the center divider, then hit two other cars. The Camry soon caught fire. Garcia was dragged out, but Guerrero could not escape the flames. He died at the scene.

Officers say they spotted the wrong-way driver before the crash, but it was too dangerous to chase him.

"Obviously we don't want to pursue them, driving the wrong way ourselves because that just exacerbates it, and our policy also strictly prohibits that," said Sgt. Brent De Natly, CHP.

Officials are charging evan Garcia for felony DUI and causing death and injury. A person in one of the other vehicles was taken to a Modesto hospital with moderate injuries.