Teen Believed To Be Paralyzed Following Hwy 49 Accident

By Bill Johnson Published May 30, 2007 05:05 pm Updated Dec 29, 2017 10:23 am

Moccasin, Ca — A teenage driver in a Saturday night vehicle accident on Hwy 49 near Lake Don Pedro will likely not be able to walk again due to injuries sustained.
18 year old Matthew Tilford of Modesto was traveling at what the CHP has deemed “excessive speed” into a corner, and fell 600 feet down an embankment. Five of Tilford´s friends were in the car. They all had less serious injuries.
“It looks like he is going to be paralyzed, according to what his dad has said,” says Officer Tom Wills.It looks like it is going to be from the waist down.”
Tilford is set to graduate next week from a Modesto High School.
The others in the car were 18 year old Brandon Stillwell, 18 year old Mark Tapia, 18 year old Adrianna Bouzeneris, 17 year old Kristin Bernardini and 17 year old Jakob Burns. The friends had been on a camping trip in the Lake Don Pedro area.
Written by BJ Hansen