Tow truck driver in fatal Fresno crash on Friant Road charged with manslaughter
A tow truck driver involved in a fatal crash in a busy Fresno intersection has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and DUI, both felonies, according to prosecutors.
John Ashcraft was driving a tow truck about 1 a.m. April 12 as he headed north on Friant Road as it intersects Shepherd Avenue when he collided with a sedan driven by Amaya Chenot, a 22-year-old who was killed in the collision, according to police.
Video made public by a family who lives in the area appeared to show he ran a red light.
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office charged Ashcraft with gross vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of a drug on Oct. 17, court records show. He also faces infractions for allegedly running the light and driving without a license.
The court document filed by the DA’s office accused Ashcraft of having used methamphetamine. A warrant has also been issued for his arrest.
Ashcraft had not entered a plea as of Monday and it was unclear if he had an attorney. He also has not been arraigned so he had not entered a plea, according to court records.
An attorney working for Chenot’s family also filed a lawsuit in May alleging Ashcraft had taken a controlled substance within 24 hours of driving.
This story was originally published November 21, 2023 at 5:30 AM.
