What to know about tragic crash into Fresno canal that killed mother and 9YO son
A 41-year-old Fresno mother and her 9-year-old son were killed early Monday after a suspected DUI driver ran a red light and sent their SUV into a canal. The suspect, 22-year-old Timothy Seth Chavez, surrendered to police later that night.
Here are key takeaways
What happened: Martha Hernandez and her son Adrian Hernandez were returning from a family Easter gathering in Madera when a Honda Pilot allegedly ran a red light near McKinley Avenue and Fresno Street around 2 a.m., broadsiding their Dodge SUV. The force of the crash sent their vehicle across multiple lanes, over a median and into a nearby canal.
The victims: Firefighters pulled Martha Hernandez from the submerged SUV and began CPR. She was taken to a hospital but later died. Adrian’s body was found approximately two miles downstream after a search using drones.
The suspect fled: Chavez abandoned the Honda Pilot at the scene and left. He surrendered at Fresno County Jail about 9 p.m. Monday.
Charges filed: Chavez faces two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, two counts of felony hit-and-run, driving without insurance and driving on a suspended license.
Key evidence: A witness’s brother saw the crash while driving to work and reported the suspect vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. He provided dashcam footage to investigators.
Contact: Anyone with information is asked to call Fresno police at 559-621-7000.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
