Rural Fresno County crash: suspected DUI driver dead, baby dies after emergency C-section
A man possibly driving drunk was killed Friday in a two-vehicle collision and a woman in the other vehicle had an emergency cesarean section but the baby later died, authorities said.
The crash happened around 11:40 a.m. in rural Fresno County.
The Fresno County Coroner’s Office identified the man as Hector Cortes, 39, of Fresno. The Coroner’s Office said the woman, one of four injured in the other vehicle, was 29 weeks pregnant; she was taken to Community Regional Medical Center where she had the emergency C-section.
The California Highway Patrol reported that Cortes failed to stop his 1992 Chevrolet S-10 truck at a stop sign east of Caruthers and struck a Jeep, which had the right-of-way, in the intersection of Nebraska and Elm avenues.
Both vehicles overturned, blocking the roadway for approximately two hours.
Cortes was pronounced dead at the scene. All four people in the Jeep were taken to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.
The driver of the 2018 Jeep Liberty, George Gonzalez Jr., 23, had major injuries from the collision, and his three passengers suffered moderate injuries: Melissa Sanchez, 23; Daniel Torres, 56; and Julie Torres, 79. All involved in the crash are from Fresno.
The CHP said alcohol was believed to be a factor in the accident, which remains under investigation.
This story was originally published January 24, 2020 at 3:50 PM.
