‘It feels like she’s here’: Remembering Amaya Chenot 1 year after her death
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Friday marked one year since the death of 22-year-old Amaya Chenot, who was killed when a tow truck ran a red light before crashing into the driver’s side of her car at the intersection of Friant Road and Shepherd Avenue, on Apr. 12, 2023.
Family and friends all came out to her memorial at the intersection, right up against Woodward Park, to honor and remember her.
Police ask drivers to drive safe almost a year after fatal Friant Road crash
“Every day is tough without her. I mean, I still look at her number in my phone, I still want to call her,” said Amaya’s uncle, Matthew “JR” Chenot.
JR led Amaya’s family members and friends at the intersection, where some tears were shed, but mostly smiles and laughs in her memory.
“When spirits are high like this it feels like she’s here with us. You know?” said JR.
In addition to spending time at the crash site, loved ones placed new flowers and decorations on and around Amaya’s memorial, before they gathered together and released balloons into the heavens. JR says he comes out to the intersection three to four times per week, a tradition he says he and his family won’t stop.
“It felt good. We just want to continue doing this. You know, we’re going to continue doing it,” he said. “I’m happy. Like I said, everybody came out today. Her friends her family.”
Amaya was killed just one month before her 23rd birthday.
Prosecutors say the light was red for 13 seconds when the man behind the wheel of the tow truck that t-boned her car, 53-year-old John Ashcraft, drove through it and killed her.
Authorities say Ashcraft was high on meth at the time of the crash. He pleaded not guilty to charges of felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony driving under the influence of a drug while causing injury, failure to stop at a red light, and driving without a valid license.
The whole of the tragic incident that day was captured by the YouTube channel “Friant Roulette.”
Its founder shared his thoughts on the anniversary Friday, as his video played a key role in the investigation.
“What goes through my mind is, it continually is a reminder of the danger that this intersection really has,” said Friant Roulette’s Dan Wells.
Wells has cameras on top of his fence, which sits up against Friant Road and continues to show off blown red lights and crash after crash. He says a year after Amaya’s tragic death, and the attention drawn to it, crashes have seemed to slow.
However, he says much more has to be done to prevent any more tragedy. One idea he gave us was an added delay to the light cycle.
“There’s been already national studies showing that a couple of extra seconds added to the lights from changing either way, is going to help prevent those two to three-second red light runners from crashing into cars,” said Wells.
The Friant Roulette creator also said a good idea would be to replace the solid green right turn arrow, displayed at red lights for northbound drivers on Friant and Shepherd, with a flashing yellow light. He believes some drivers may see the current green arrow, and accidentally blow red lights as a result.
Following a recent traffic study, the City of Fresno is still working on adding additional safety measures to the area, and other dangerous intersections around the city.
As for Ashcraft, he will be back in court for a pre-preliminary hearing on Apr. 18.
