Two individuals—a Hollister resident and a Gilroy resident—lost their lives in a tragic collision on Highway 25 near the Santa Clara and San Benito county border, according to authorities.
The Santa Clara County Coroner and Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims as 24-year-old Erick Javier Andrade of Gilroy and 35-year-old Priscilla Paulina Jones of Hollister.
The California Highway Patrol’s Monterey office received reports of the crash around 12:33 a.m. on October 28. Officers from the CHP Hollister-Gilroy office arrived to find two vehicles blocking the roadway, with both drivers unresponsive.
Initial investigations revealed that Andrade was driving a 2018 Nissan Sentra southbound on Highway 25 at an undetermined speed, while Jones was operating a 2012 Dodge Charger northbound, also at an unknown speed. For reasons still under investigation, the Nissan swerved left, crossing over the double yellow lines into the northbound lane, leading to a head-on collision with the Dodge. Both drivers sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.
There were no other occupants in either vehicle, and Highway 25 was closed in both directions for approximately five hours during the investigation. Authorities have yet to determine if drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash.
Jones had dedicated over seven years to serving as a 911 dispatcher for Santa Clara County, specializing in law enforcement and medical calls and training new communications officers. She was a mother of three and co-owner of Mmm Churros with her husband in Hollister. A statement from the county’s emergency communications office expressed deep sorrow over her loss, highlighting her professionalism and compassion in her role as a dispatcher.
The news of the fatalities prompted local resident Erica Morton to launch an online petition on change.org, urging officials to implement immediate safety measures on Highway 25, which has been the site of numerous accidents resulting in injuries and fatalities over the years. Morton’s petition calls for the installation of barriers or k-rails along the highway, emphasizing the urgent need for action to prevent future tragedies.
Plans have been discussed for expanding Highway 25, which has experienced increasing traffic as San Benito County has rapidly developed, but no timeline for the project has been established.
Anyone with information about the October 28 collision is encouraged to contact the CHP Hollister-Gilroy office at 408-427-0700.
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