Two Manteca teens were seriously injured when they crashed their ‘90s Honda into the side of a Mountain Valley Express big rig.
 The crash happened Friday at 7:20 a.m. as the truck driver was making a left turn onto Bessemer Avenue from Industrial Park Drive headed for his loading docks several blocks to the north.
Manteca Police and witnesses cited excessive speed as the cause of the crash. They added that the truck had a green light and that the light was red for the westbound Honda driven by a 17-year-old teen whose 16-year-old brother was reported to be his passenger. Both were reported to be Manteca High students.
The crash occurred across the street from the Second Harvest Food Bank offices where two of its employees were just getting out of their vehicles and reporting to work.  The food bank staffers who witnessed the crash ran to the aid of the two teens until medics arrived.  
In surveying the roadway, officers could see that there was a curve in Industrial Park Drive about 200 feet to the east before the crash scene that would have prevented the driver from seeing the truck making its left turn and taking evasive action. 
The car struck the truck’s diesel fuel tank that was reduced to about two-thirds its original size in the crash but no leakage or fire occurred following the crash.
The youths were taken to separate hospitals with both reported to be in surgery shortly after they arrived by ambulance.  The passenger in the Honda was reported to have taken the impact of the windshield and was the most seriously injured in the collision.  Officers said there was no indication that seat belts had been used in the car.
Investigators worked up the scene, gathering evidence for more than three hours after the crash to determine its cause and responsibilities of the drivers.  The driver of the truck sustained no injuries in the crash, police said.  He has been a professional driver for some 30 years.
Industrial Park Drive between South Main Street and Moffat Boulevard has been a point of concern for traffic officers who are often seen waiting alongside speeders for ticket enforcement.