Scott Hamilton, 34, of Manteca survived a three-car pileup Sunday morning on Highway 120 south of Sonora that claimed two lives of the occupants of an oncoming vehicle at Keystone Ranch.

Hamilton had been scheduled for an arraignment in the Manteca Branch of the San Joaquin County Superior Court this past Wednesday on a commercial burglary charge involving a credit card, a court spokesman said. 

According to court records, Hamilton had also pled guilty to giving false information to a police officer and had been found guilty in a forgery charge, for receiving known stolen property and for being a felon carrying concealed firearms.  He reportedly pled guilty to the firearms and receiving stolen property charges in court in February.

 The Sonora CHP said the collision occurred about 7 a.m. when Hamilton’s eastbound Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck veered to the left and into the westbound lanes where it collided with a Chevy Cavalier with two occupants.  The truck reportedly spun out to the south and the Cavalier to the north.

The motorist behind the wheel of the Cavalier and his 29-year-old passenger were declared dead at the scene, according to the CHP.  Their names were not released to the media.

A westbound Ford Explorer on Highway 120 was driven by Sonora resident Kelly Rodman, 29, of Sonora who reported seeing the initial crash take place.  While attempting to avoid the scene, she reportedly collided with the side of the Cavalier spinning it farther along the roadway.

Hamilton and Rodman reportedly sustained moderate injuries and were transported to a Sonora hospital for treatment.  The CHP did not confirm whether drugs or alcohol were contributing factors in the Sunday morning collision.

The CHP investigation is continuing and it could not be confirmed Friday afternoon whether vehicular manslaughter charges were being considered in connection with the fatalities.