Local

Selma High football player killed by big rig - just a few miles from his school

By Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado
Ramon Gonzalez, a Selma High football player, was killed Saturday night after he was struck by a big rig in Fresno County, according to the California Highway Patrol. Gonzalez, shown here in a photo provided by a family friend, enjoyed riding dirt bikes. He was on his on a dirt bike riding on a dirt shoulder when he suddenly entered the roadway and struck by the truck.
Ramon Gonzalez, a Selma High football player, was killed Saturday night after he was struck by a big rig in Fresno County, according to the California Highway Patrol. Gonzalez, shown here in a photo provided by a family friend, enjoyed riding dirt bikes. He was on his on a dirt bike riding on a dirt shoulder when he suddenly entered the roadway and struck by the truck. Leslie Quintana Martinez Courtesy photo

A Selma High football player was killed Saturday night after he was struck by a big rig in Fresno County, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The incident happened southbound on Clovis Avenue, just south of Dinuba Avenue — about 6 miles west of the high school.

Ramon Gonzalez, 16, was on a dirt bike riding on a dirt shoulder when he suddenly entered the roadway. That’s when he was struck by the big rig, CHP spokesman Victor Taylor said.

“There was nothing that the driver of the big could have done,” Taylor said Saturday night.

The boy’s name wasn’t immediately released by the CHP, but the Selma High Football Twitter page identified him in a late-night tweet where it asked for prayers. A Selma community Facebook page also identified the teen.

“One of our own Selma Bears football players was lost today. He was an amazing kid,” according the public Facebook post by Leslie Quintana Martinez. “Please lift up his family in prayer.”

The accident was reported just before 5 p.m. The roadway was reopened by 8 p.m.

Ramon Gonzalez, 16, was killed Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, when he crashed his dirt bike into a tractor-trailer on Clovis Avenue, the California Highway Patrol said.
Ramon Gonzalez, 16, was killed Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, when he crashed his dirt bike into a tractor-trailer on Clovis Avenue, the California Highway Patrol said. Contributed.
Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado, 559-441-6304, @cres_guez

This story was originally published November 17, 2018 at 10:25 PM.

Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER