22 year-old man killed, Alex Hsu, 22, injured, facing charges, Virginia Armas, 70, seriously injured, both airlifted to hospital, after a two car crash on Highway 120 near Sonora.

A 22-year-old man from Sunnyvale died Friday after the car he was riding in collided with a truck going in the opposite direction. According to the California Highway Patrol, the accident occurred at 3:20 p.m. on Highway 120 near Old Highway 120 in the Sonora area. Alex Hsu, 22, of Sunnyvale was driving a 2014 Toyota Camry west on Highway 120 when he tried to pass an unknown vehicle going in the same direction on a left-hand curve in the road. At the same time, a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Virginia Armas, 70, of Groveland was approaching in the opposite direction. Armas saw the Camry in her lane and tried to slow her truck to avoid the collision. Hsu also tried to slow his car, but because of his “high rate of speed” and “unsafe passing” maneuver, he could not avoid the truck, the CHP said in a news release. The vehicles collided, causing fatal injuries to the passenger in the Camry, who had to be removed from the wreckage. His name was not released. Armas and Hsu were flown to Modesto hospitals with major injuries. Hsu faces charges of vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving, the CHP said. There was no indication drugs or alcohol was a factor in the crash, but the matter remains under investigation.   How can a lawyer help with an auto accident claim? First, having a lawyer on your side levels the playing field.  The person who caused the accident is required to immediately turn the case over to his or her insurance company.  The insurance company uses adjusters and lawyers who are specifically trained to deny or reduce your claim.  This may include denying compensation to family members who are entitled to receive benefits for loss of companionship. Learn more here about what a lawyer does in auto accident cases.