Crash involving van of farmworkers kills 8 in Madera County morning commute, CHP says
Eight people were killed, including seven farmworkers in a van, in a head-on collision Friday in Madera County, the California Highway Patrol said.
The fatal crash just after 6 a.m. involved a Chevrolet truck headed east and a GMC van going the other direction before they collided on Avenue 7 near Road 22, officer Javier Ruvalcaba said.
All of the victims were men. The van headed to Firebaugh carried eight but most of the passengers were not wearing seatbelts, CHP said.
One of the riders in the van was taken to Fresno Community Regional Medical Center, Ruvalcaba said. The other seven were pronounced dead at the scene.
One passenger in the van was ejected and another was partially ejected in the collision, CHP said.
The driver of the truck was alone and also died at the scene, CHP said.
Ruvalcaba stressed that the investigation was ongoing, but said it appeared the truck crossed over the center line before the head-on collision. The truck may have struck another vehicle, but that part of the investigation had not been confirmed, he said.
Avenue 7 in Madera County is commonly used by commuters to get from Highway 99 to Interstate 5, Ruvalcaba said.
This story was originally published February 23, 2024 at 8:55 AM.
