CONTRA COSTA — Authorities on Wednesday identified two motorists who died in crashes in Contra Costa County earlier this month.

A one-car wreck on northbound Interstate 680 on Monday killed 25-year-old Shelby Sherman, of Martinez, and also critically injured a passenger, according to the California Highway Patrol. The other crash happened Feb. 6 on Vasco Road in Byron and killed 68-year-old Weiming Shao, of Brentwood.

The Feb. 6 wreck was a head-on collision just south of Camino Diablo. The CHP said Shao was a passenger in a Toyota Prius going south on Vasco Road when a Honda CRV going in the other direction crossed the double-yellow lines.

The driver and one other passenger in the Prius, and the driver of the Honda survived the crash. The CHP said it is still investigating why the driver of the Honda crossed the yellow lines but that investigators have ruled out driving under the influence.

In Monday’s crash, a white Dodge Caravan lost control on I-680 just south of the Marina Vista Avenue exit and veered off into the right shoulder. It then veered back across the road and into the center divider, overturning and ejecting Sherman. She died on the freeway.

A man driving the van was hospitalized. Authorities did not have an update on his condition.

Police were still investigating to determine whether drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.

Originally Published: February 12, 2025 at 10:35 AM PST