Four Killed in Tuolumne County Crash State Route 49, Shaws Flat Road
Deadly Crash on Highway 49 in Sonora
TUOLUMNE COUNTY, CA (July 24, 2025) — Four people are dead and one injured after a collision in Tuolumne County Wednesday night at Shaws Flat Road and State Route 49, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred at the intersection when a 56-year-old Puerto Rico man driving westbound in a 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee on Shaws Flat Road. The vehicle stopped at the stop sign, but then entered the intersection and was struck by an oncoming Dodge pickup truck.
Fatal Two-Vehicle Crash on Highway 49
The 18-year-old Jamestown man driving the truck was northbound on SR-49 and traveling at roughly 60 miles per hour, police said. This stretch of state Route 49 has a posted 35 mph speed limit. Unfortunately, the pickup truck driver could not avoid hitting the Jeep, possibly due to speed.
The front of the Dodge struck the left side of the Jeep, pushing it off the roadway and onto the west shoulder of SR-49.
Two Men, Two Women Killed in Crash are Identified
All four occupants of the Jeep were pronounced dead at the scene, including the driver, Jose Orta Cotto, 56; Jose Orta Carmona, 83; Elba Melendez Deorta, 72; and Michelle Cotto Rodriguez, 52. All four occupants are from Puerto Rico.
The driver of the Dodge sustained moderate to major injuries and was transported for medical treatment.
At this time, investigators do not believe drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. The California Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision.
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