Tragic fatal DUI crash in Fresno inspires support for newlywed couple from Merced
More than $40,000 was raised in just one day through a GoFundme account to help out a Merced woman who was struck by a suspected drunken driver on Sunday morning on Highway 99 in Fresno.
Jennifer Ramos, 28, and her husband Joshua Eisen, 28, were returning to Merced from San Luis Obispo.
The couple had just been involved in a single-car crash on northbound Highway 99 and were standing next to their car on the right shoulder when they were struck.
CHP officials said the couple was struck after Amado Mendez Ventura, 22, reportedly made an unsafe turn to the right shoulder and collided into a concrete wall and then hit the couple’s car head-on as well as the man and woman. The crash happened south of Clinton Avenue around 1:30 a.m.
Eisen was killed at the scene and Ramos was severely injured.
The CHP said in a news release that Ventura appeared under the influence of alcohol. Ventura is in the Fresno County Jail facing charges of felony DUI causing death, gross felony vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and misdemeanor driving without a license. His bail is $93,600.
The couple married on Jan. 2, 2019, according to the GoFundMe page.
The donation page went up Tuesday. As of Wednesday evening, nearly 800 people had donated more than $40,000.
Ramos suffered fractures to her pelvis and both legs, according to the GoFundMe page.
Donations can be made here.
This story was originally published December 4, 2019 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Tragic fatal DUI crash in Fresno inspires support for newlywed couple from Merced."
