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Woman, 2 Young Girls Killed After DUI Suspect Slams Into Their Modesto Area Home

MODESTO (CBS13) – Authorities say three people – including two young girls – were killed when a car crashed into their Modesto area home early Sunday morning.

The incident happened along the 1200 block of Sam Avenue.

California Highway Patrol says the crash happened just after 1:30 a.m. Medics found three young girls and a woman inside the home were gravely hurt. The woman and a five-year-old were later pronounced dead at Memorial Medical Center, officers say.

modesto area triple fatal dui crash
Scene of the crash on Monday.

A three-year-old girl was later pronounced dead at Doctors Medical Center.

The third girl, who is 10-years-old, was taken to the UC Davis Medical Center with major injuries.

Monday, the Stanislaus County Coroner's Office identified the woman killed as 38-year-old Mariluz Gacinto-Hernandez. The names of the children killed are not being released at the moment.

felix ferdin (credit Stanislaus Sheriff)
Felix Ferdin's booking photo. (Credit: Stanislaus County Sheriff)

Investigators believe that the driver, identified as 46-year-old Modesto resident Felix Ferdin, was speeding down Holm Avenue and ran a stop sign at Herndon Road. He then crashed into the home.

Ferdin is believed to have been driving under the influence at the time of the crash. He and a passenger inside his car suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Officers have arrested Ferdin and he was booked into Stanislaus County Jail. He is facing three counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and felony DUI.

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