3 killed, 3 injured in Fresno County crash: CHP
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Three people were killed, and three others were injured, in a traffic collision outside of Caruthers Friday night, the California Highway Patrol says.
Just after 7 p.m., officers were called out to the area of Highway 41 and Nebraska Avenue for a report of a crash involving two pickup trucks.
Officers say a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by a 57-year-old Fresno man, was traveling westbound on Nebraska Avenue, and failed to stop at the stop sign.
That’s when his vehicle collided with a 2020 Dodge Ram 2500, which was pulling a fifth-wheel travel trailer, and was traveling southbound on Highway 41.
Investigators say the force of the impact was such that both trucks were sent down an embankment.
They also say the driver of the Chevrolet suffered fatal injuries, despite his wearing a seatbelt. His three female passengers, officers report, did not appear to be restrained in their seats and were ejected.
Two of the passengers died at the scene, while the third sustained major injuries.
The two men inside the Dodge, ages 36-years-old and 40-years-old and both from Fresno, were transported to area hospitals with moderate-to-major injuries.
Officers say the roadway was closed for about seven hours. They don’t yet know if drugs or alcohol played a factor in the crash, and they are continuing to investigate the incident.
