Public Safety · Stanislaus County
Multiple Pedestrian Deaths, Injuries Prompt County-Wide Safety Enforcement
Stanislaus County law enforcement is urging motorists to exercise caution after a series of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes in October 2026 across Ceres, Modesto, and Turlock. The incidents include the deaths of two Modesto teens on Oct. 9 near Downey High School, a 65-year-old woman struck by a train in south Modesto on Oct. 12, a downtown Modesto DUI crash killing a 35-year-old man on Oct. 2, and a 14-year-old Turlock boy killed in an electric-motorcycle collision on Oct. 10. The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office conducted maximum enforcement operations targeting dangerous driving behaviors during National Pedestrian Safety Month, funded by a California Office of Traffic Safety grant. Officials reminded drivers to slow down, yield at crosswalks, and stay alert, noting that pedestrians lack the protections afforded to vehicle occupants.