Blinded by sun, driver dies when she misses stop sign and is hit

A woman who may have been blinded by the setting sun was killed Monday night when she missed a stop sign southwest of Fresno and was broadsided, splitting her car in two, the California Highway Patrol said.

The collision happened around 7 p.m. at the intersection of North and Valentine avenues.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation. But the sun was setting around the time of the collision, and CHP Sgt. Mike Trenholm said that the 65-year-old woman may not have seen the stop sign when she ran through the intersection. Her Honda was then broadsided and split in two by a black Mercedes.

Trenholm said that the driver was presumably killed instantly.

The driver of the Mercedes was taken to Community Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.

The woman has yet to be identified.

This story was originally published May 16, 2016 at 9:54 PM with the headline "Blinded by sun, driver dies when she misses stop sign and is hit."