Three die – two students and a baby – in head-on crash near Five Points

A pregnant woman who gave birth to her baby after being involved in involved in a head-on crash near Five Points and then died was a popular student at Tranquillity High School.

The newborn girl also died a day later at Valley Children’s Hospital, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said Monday.

The young woman was identified as Joanne Marisela Delgado, 18, of Kerman. She also goes by Joanna.

“She was a wonderful student,” said Tranquillity High Principal Jim Reed. “She was very well liked by her classmates and teachers.”

Delgado was a cheerleader and member of the school’s leadership class, he said. She was just about the graduate from high school at ceremonies Thursday night.

Her photo will be included in the graduation ceremony and a moment of silence will be observed, he said.

The driver of the other car, Adriana Solorio Romero, 24, of Five Points, also died at the scene.

She had just completed her bachelor of science degree in child development at the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Fresno State. Her name is listed in the commencement program for the May 20 graduation ceremony and she participated in the Chicano/Latino commencement celebration that day, according to Fresno State.

About 7:15 p.m. Sunday on Highway 145 near Elkhorn Avenue, a Honda Civic driven by Delgado was headed north on the highway and collided with a Kia Optima driven by Romero that was traveling south. The Honda crossed over into the middle of the lane for an undetermined reason and collided head-on with the Kia, the California Highway Patrol said.

The speeds of the vehicles was not yet determined.

Also inside the Honda Civic was a 10-year-old boy, who was in the back seat. He survived but had major injuries, the CHP said. The newborn and boy were rushed to Community Regional Medical Center by helicopter.

The newborn was born as a result of the collision, the CHP said. Drugs or alcohol did not appear to be a factor for causing the wreck.

The sheriff’’s office said the baby was in the third trimester, but hadn’t yet learned how many weeks Delgado was into her pregnancy. The sheriff’s office does not have a record of a name for the baby.

A candlelight vigil was also planned at 7 p.m. Monday in Tranquillity.

This story was originally published June 5, 2017 at 4:17 PM with the headline "Three die – two students and a baby – in head-on crash near Five Points."