Video shows Camaro race into Fresno intersection setting off fiery crash that killed 3

Surveillance video from the Valero gas station at the corner captures the moment a Chevrolet Camaro raced into a Fresno intersection Saturday night, setting off a crash that killed three people.

The video provided by the station on the northwest corner of McKinley and Cedar avenues shows traffic on McKinley stopped for a red light around 11 p.m.

A Fresno County Sheriff’s cruiser pulls up on southbound Cedar, its emergency lights activated, stopping traffic momentarily before turning westbound on McKinley — perhaps planning to intercept the Camaro, which was fleeing an attempted sheriff’s traffic stop on McKinley near Highway 41.

After the sheriff’s cruiser clears the intersection, a southbound vehicle goes through. Then the Camaro, traveling an estimated 100 mph, enters on eastbound McKinley and plows into a northbound vehicle. Both vehicles careen into westbound traffic stopped for the red light, igniting a fireball.

At least seven vehicles were involved in the deadly crash and five ended up engulfed in flames, police said.

The Fresno County Coroner’s Office said Sunday afternoon that the three victims have not been identified yet. One is a man who was in a car by himself. The other two are women who were in a car together.

Police identified Francisco Portillo, 20, of Fresno as the driver of the Camaro. His girlfriend was also in the car, police said.

Portillo and his girlfriend were taken to Community Regional Medical Center, where they were listed in critical but stable condition Sunday morning, police reported.

This story was originally published March 21, 2021 at 10:53 PM.