Information provided by California Highway Patrol-Hollister Gilroy
Editor’s note: This article was updated by BenitoLink staff to reflect confirmed age of Michael Martinez. Last updated Aug. 23 at 3:01 p.m. It has also been updated to clarify that Martinez was a Hollister resident and may have lived in Watsonville previously.
In its recently released collision report, the Hollister-Gilroy California Highway Patrol said that a Watsonville resident died following a traffic collision near Hollister. Five other people, including a Tres Pinos resident, were transported to hospitals. [Editor’s note: Individual described in Sheriff report as a Watsonville resident actually lived in Hollister.]
According to the report, on Aug. 21, at approximately 6:51 p.m., Brandon Jackson, 27, of Tres Pinos was driving a 2004 Mazda 3 northbound on State Route 25, north of Flynn Road, and stopped on the east shoulder of SR-25 to make a U-turn.
The Sheriff office states that Jackson began making a U-turn into the direct path of Daniel James Thomas, 32, of San Jose who was driving a 1999 Chevrolet Suburban. Three other passengers were on board with Thomas, including a 16-year-old. The front of the Suburban collided with the left side of Mazda.
This collision caused the Suburban to travel into the southbound lane, where it collided head-on with a Watsonville resident, who the San Benito County Sheriff/Coroner identified as Michael Martinez, 39, was driving southbound on SR- 25 on a 2006 Honda Accord. Martinez sustained major injuries and was transported to Hazel Hawkins Hospital where he succumbed to those injuries. [BenitoLink has been notified that Sheriff information is not current and that Martinez was a Hollister resident.}
Sheriff Eric Taylor told BenitoLink the cause of death was still pending.
Jackson and two passengers from the Suburban were transported to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas. Two other Suburban passengers were transported to Hazel Hawkins Hospital.
At this time, it is unknown if alcohol or drugs were a factor in this collision, and the investigation is ongoing.
For further information, or to provide additional information regarding this collision, contact Officer Uribe, ID 21612 or Officer Shaw, ID 20742, at the Hollister-Gilroy CHP office at (408)848-2324.