Tulare educator, father of Fresno State softball player, killed in car crash

Rudy Carrasco, the dean of students at Tulare Western High and father of Fresno State softball player Kelcey Carrasco, was killed in an auto crash Wednesday.

According to the Tulare Police Department, Carrasco and the driver of another car collided in the intersection of North H Street and West San Joaquin in Tulare about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Firefighters had to cut Carrasco from his vehicle and both drivers were taken to Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia to be treated for injuries.

Police were notified that Carrasco, 49, had passed away shortly after 11 p.m. The accident remains under investigation.

Carrasco, a Woodlake resident, had started his career at Tulare Western in 1997 as a physical education teacher and athletics director and had been the dean of students since 2006. Carrasco and his wife Trisha have three children – Kaitlyn, Kelcey and Connor.

“Rudy and I worked together for a long time,” Tulare Western principal Kevin Covert said. “When you work with someone that long and he’s a part of the fabric of your school and your community, it hurts. We often joke around in education, at least on our side, that we are each other’s family because we spend so much time together. We probably spend more time with each other than our own families. But our families are all intertwined because we have grown up together and we celebrate each other’s kids and their accomplishments.

“Rudy is just a likable guy and his passion for our students and helping students is just second to none. It was a shock to all of us and it’s tough, tough to get over this. But at the same time our hearts are broken for his family. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers just go out to his wife and his three kids, because it’’s just devastating right now.”

Kelcey Carrasco is a senior catcher on the Fresno State softball team. A graduate of Tulare Western, she started her collegiate career at Michigan State before transferring to Fresno State last season.

Her family became a vocal fixture at Bulldogs home games at Margie Wright Diamond.

“Rudy has blessed this program with so much love and spirit,” Bulldogs coach Linda Garza said, in a statement. “His legacy will carry on in all of us. His smile, friendliness and unwavering support for our team will be greatly missed.

“Heaven gained an angel and we will do all we can to show the Carrasco family the utmost support during this difficult time. One of the best Girl Dads around. Loved by the entire softball community.”

This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 3:16 PM.