Woman seriously hurt, two DUI suspects are arrested in an early-morning crash in Fresno

A woman suffered what authorities said were significant injuries early Sunday in a crash that involved three vehicles and two suspected drunk drivers in southeast Fresno.

The woman was a passenger in a white Chevy truck that was stopped about 1:45 a.m. at a red light on Chestnut Avenue just south of Highway 180 when it was rear-ended by a Chevy Cruze, Fresno police said. The woman and the driver had left the truck to talk to the other driver when a gray Lexus struck the woman and sent her into the roadway about 10 to 15 feet away, according to investigators.

“When officers arrived, it was apparent that she had suffered significant injuries – trauma to her head and upper torso,” Fresno Police Capt. Dave Ramos said. “Emergency Medical Services responded along with Fresno Fire and they transported her to Community Regional Medical Center.

“The woman is listed in stable condition, however, she does have significant head trauma and the last reports we had doctors learned she has a broken shoulder.”

The woman and the driver of the truck were not intoxicated but the other two drivers were both suspected of being impaired, Ramos said.

“At this point in the investigation we have determined that the driver of the Lexus as well as the driver of the Chevy Cruze that rear-ended the truck are both DUI and they will be arrested for felony DUI,” Ramos said.

Lanian Lee and Cornelio Cedillo Ramirez were taken into custody Sunday morning at Chestnut Avenue and Highway 180 and booked on charges of driving while intoxicated, according to Fresno County Jail records.

Lee, 36, was booked on felony charges of being an intoxicated driver while causing injury/death, driiving with a 0.08% alcohol level while causing death/injury and a misdemeanor allegation of driving with a suspended license.

Cedillo Ramirez, 50, was booked on felony charges of being an intoxicated driver causing injury/death and driving with a 0.08% alcohol level causing death/injury.

It was not clear which of the cars the suspects were driving.

This story was originally published May 8, 2022 at 11:33 AM.