Another horrific accident on a Mariposa County highway has claimed three lives and injured four other people. The Saturday afternoon crash happened around 3:10 p.m. on Highway 140 just east of Colorado Road in the Midpines area.

According to the California Highway Patrol, 18-year-old Marissa Fuqua of Mariposa was driving a 1979 Ford Bronco eastbound on Highway 140. She was negotiating a curve when she allowed the Bronco to cross the doubleyellow lines and enter the westbound lane.

At the same time, a 43-yearold Michael Smith and his passenger, 40-year-old Deana Smith of Chowchilla, were traveling on a 2010 Harley Davidson motorcycle westbound. Fuqua’s vehicle struck the Smiths, killing them both.

The Bronco continued eastbound where it collided head-on with a 2004 Ford Escape being driven by 55-year-old Sharron Law of El Portal. Law was also pronounced dead at the scene. She was the only person in the car.

Law is a fixture in the El Portal community, having lived there her entire life. She and her husband, Mark, raised their children, Robert Law and Charity Brocchini, at the Incline residence. She worked for Yosemite Association for more than 20 years. Sharron has five grandchildren, Kylan, Joey and Jaden Brocchini of Tuolumne City and Ryan, Tyler and Kaiya Law of Rohnert Park.

Law’s presence in El Portal will be missed, as evidenced by the many comments left by readers on the GAZETTE’S Web site. “This is a very sad day for the El Portal community,” Pat Wight wrote.

“Sharron had had a way of lighting up the room when she entered it and always had a way to make us laugh. She was a beautiful loving woman, mother, grandmother and wife and she will so dearly be missed,” Dawn Smith posted on the site.

An account has been opened at Yosemite Bank for the Law family. Donations can deposited in person to the account named “Fund for Sharron Law’s Family,” account number 307010298, or can be mailed to Yosemite Bank, Atten: Funds for Sharron Law’s Family, P.O. Box 1267, Mariposa, CA 95338. Her memorial service is scheduled for Friday in El Portal.

The Smiths, both of whom were lifetime residents of Chowchilla, will be remembered at a memorial service in Chowchilla on Saturday. Michael Smith was the president of the Anderson Pump Company. His wife worked for the same company as an administrative assistant.

The Smiths’ families asked that any memorial contributions be made to the Children’s Hospital Central California NICU Foundation, 9300 Valley Children’s Place, Madera, CA 93637 or Mariposa Search and Rescue, P.O. Box 276, Mariposa, CA 95338.

Fuqua and two of her three passengers, 19-year-old Anthony Nady of Mariposa and a 16-year-old girl, were taken to Memorial Hospital in Modesto with moderate to major injuries. A third passenger, 20-year-old Albert Newman of Mariposa, was taken to John C. Fremont Hospital with moderate injuries. No information about their conditions was available.

The CHP report says that alcohol or drugs were not a contributing factor to this accident. There is speculation, however, that distracted driving could be the cause. While no particular details were released, one CHP officer said a car load of friends can be distracting. “ "It may only take one to two seconds where you're attention is diverted from the road way and something very tragic can happen," said Sgt. Donnie Turner.”

It has been a particularly deadly summer on Mariposa County highways. Two other people died in accidents on Highway 49 earlier this season.

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