Driver in Avenue 9 Madera County crash ID’d

A 56-year-old Fresno man killed Saturday in a head-on collision on Avenue 9 in Madera County was identified by the county coroner as Danek Marlin Hillstrom.

Madera County Sheriff’s spokesman Bill Ward said Wednesday that Hillstrom previously was known as Andrew Chiappelli.

The California Highway Patrol reported the crash occurred about 5:17 p.m. as Hillstrom was eastbound on 9 approaching Road 40. The CHP said Hillstrom was passing other eastbound traffic at a high rate of speed in the westbound lane as Raul Ortiz, 33, of Madera was approaching in the opposite direction in a Nissan.

The Miata first pulled back into the eastbound lane and then onto the south dirt shoulder, where Hillstrom lost control and the Miata spun in a counter-clockwise direction into the path of the Nissan. The front of the Nissan slammed into the side of the Miata. Hillstrom died at the scene. Ortiz and a passenger, Jesus Ortiz Munguia, 31, were taken to Community Regional Medical Center.

This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 2:44 PM with the headline "Driver in Avenue 9 Madera County crash ID’d."