Woman killed in fiery crash in Fresno ID’d. She was being pursued by gunman, police say

Fresno police Tuesday provided new details about a shooting and fatal collision Monday evening in northwest Fresno, and identified the victim killed in a fiery crash during a pursuit by an armed suspect in a second vehicle.

The victim, Mary Lou Flores, 66, was at the wheel of a Nissan Sentra about 6:45 p.m. Monday when she collided with a Toyota Rav-4 driven by a suspected gunman at Brawley and Weber avenues, said Lt. Paul Cervantes.

The sequence of events began with a disturbance in a residential neighborhood in the 5400 block of North Aurora Avenue, police believe.

Two cars — Flores’ Sentra and a Chevrolet Malibu driven by a 24-year-old man — fled the neighborhood and sped south on Brawley, pursued by the Rav-4, Cervantes said. Near a Walmart on West Shaw Avenue, the Malibu driver was hit by gunfire, Cervantes said.

Flores continued south on Brawley with the Rav-4 in pursuit at speeds up to 70 mph. The Rav-4 and the Sentra crashed where Brawley turns into Weber Avenue, near High Speed Rail construction. Both cars caught fire in the crash.

The suspected shooter and a female passenger in the Rav-4 ran from the area, police believe. They remained at large and the firearm used in the shooting had not been recovered, police said Tuesday. .

Flores died after she was rushed to Community Regional Medical Center. Police originally reported that she was in her 70s.

It was the 23rd homicide in Fresno in 2023. In 2022 at this time, there were 36 homicides.

Cervantes said citizens who witnessed the crash pulled victims from the Sentra, likely saving their lives. He added that police believe Flores and the Malibu driver have a familial connection. That driver, who was wounded in the upper body and also taken to CRMC, was expected to survive

Cervantes said detectives believe there are witnesses with information and video evidence. He asked that anyone who can help with the case call 550-621-7000, or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867.