Fatal three-vehicle collision on Highway 120 kills Escalon man, injures one in Oakdale

A 33-year-old Escalon man was killed in a three-vehicle collision on Highway 120 on Wednesday morning, according to a California Highway Patrol release.

The CHP received a call about a collision on Highway 120 just west of Meadowlark Lane in Oakdale at about 7:30 a.m.

When first responders got to the scene, they found the three damaged vehicles and the gravely injured Escalon man, who was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified as Lawrence Foutch by the Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office.

An initial CHP investigation showed Foutch was driving a Hyundai hatchback was westbound on Highway 120 in the number two lane while an Oakdale woman driving a 2018 Ford sedan was traveling in the same direction in the number one lane, just to the left of Foutch. A 2018 Nissan pickup truck driven by an Oakdale man was traveling east on Highway 120.

Foutch attempted to pass the Ford sedan as the two westbound lanes merged into one. As he did, the left rear of his Hyundai collided with the right front of the Ford. The collision caused Foutch’s car to slightly rotate “in a counterclockwise manner,” according to the CHP.

As his car rotated, it went directly into the path of the eastbound Nissan. The front of the Nissan hit the right side of Foutch’s car.

The Oakdale man driving the Nissan was taken to a hospital by ground ambulance to be treated for minor injuries. The Oakdale woman driving the Ford was not injured, according to the release.

Drugs and alcohol do not appear to factor in the collision and all parties involved were wearing their seat belts, the release read.

Eastbound lanes of Highway 120 were temporarily closed between River Road and Meadowlark Lane while CHP investigated the collision.