A 21-year-old Hollister resident was killed Friday morning when
her car collided with a pickup on Highway 25 in Paicines in
southern San Benito County.
A 21-year-old Hollister resident was killed Friday morning when her car collided with a pickup on Highway 25 in Paicines in southern San Benito County.
On her way to work as a student-park ranger at Pinnacles National Monument, Melissa Lynn Giuliodibari died on impact when she lost control and swerved into oncoming traffic on the two-lane rural highway. Her compact car was struck by a pickup driven by 26-year-old Justin Pinochi of Minden, Nev., according to California Highway Patrol information officer Terry Mayes.
Pinochi complained of minor pain and was transported to Hazel Hawkins Hospital, Mayes said. He was later released. The truck’s passenger, King City resident Mandi Wiley, 24, suffered internal injuries to her abdomen and was airlifted to San Jose Medical Center. She released over the weekend.
Giuliodibari had been a student at West Valley College in Saratoga – while working at Pinnacles since November, according to Pinnacles chief ranger Jerry Case. She lived with her parents in Hollister.
Driving south about 20 miles from Pinnacles at an unknown speed, Giuliodibari drifted off the right side of the road at 8:30 a.m. for unknown reasons, according to Mayes.
