Teen girl killed in Madera County head-on crash identified

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Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Highway 41 crash
Authorities respond to a traffic accident on Highway 41 in Madera County on Saturday, March 14, 2015.
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MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Grief counselors visited two Mariposa County school campuses on Monday after a deadly head-on crash this weekend. It happened on Highway 41 near Avenue 12 in Madera County on Saturday.

California Highway Patrol officers say a 70-year-old Los Banos man was driving a Toyota Tundra with his wife in the passenger seat, when he crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a Toyota Corolla.

Kayla Choi, 13, was in the backseat of the car and died. She most recently attended Woodland Elementary and still had many friends there, so counselors were available for them. But the superintendent says Choi was no longer a student in the district.

Christina Jarrett, 19, was also a passenger in the car and had to be extricated with major injuries. She graduated from Mariposa County High School last year, and counselors were available there on Monday as well.

The 48-year-old driver of the car also suffered major injuries. Both people in the truck had minor to moderate injuries.

Authorities are still investigating the crash, but they say alcohol was not involved.