Crash in front of Fresno auto dealership claims second fatality. Identities released
A second person died after a man traveling on Clovis Avenue crossed the center median, causing a four-car collision in front of an auto dealership Wednesday afternoon.
The Fresno County Coroner’s Office on Thursday identified the man seated in a parked vehicle as 32-year-old Magal Bhatti, hometown unknown.
The driver who was pronounced dead at the scene was identified as 53-year-old Todd Lyman of Clovis.
The crash happened around 4:40 p.m. near Ramona Avenue, just north of the intersection of Clovis and Shields avenues.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Lyman was traveling south on Clovis Avenue when his Chevy Trailblazer crossed the center median and struck three parked vehicles.
One of the parked vehicles was a Toyota Camry that was occupied by Bhatti. He was rushed to a local hospital with major injuries where he later died.
Authorities said Bhatti’s injuries turned out to be worse at the hospital than were initially thought at the scene.
CHP still was conducting its investigation and it was not immediately known why the Trailblazer crossed over onto oncoming traffic. Lyman was not wearing a seat belt, CHP said.
