Woman dies as car ‘mistakenly’ drives into Fresno County canal. DUI suspected

Reckless driving resulted in the death of a 25-year-old woman, who was pulled from the Friant-Kern Canal in rural eastern Fresno County on Thursday night.

According to California Highway Patrol, the woman was one of three people in a car that drove into the canal on Jensen Avenue just east of Navelencia Avenue, an area south of Highway 180 and northwest of Orange Cove.

Two men made it out of the car and the water, but the woman had to be pulled from the canal by a rescue team. She was give lifesaving measures and taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead, CHP said.

The woman has yet to be identified.

A preliminary investigation showed there had been “reckless driving activity in a dirt lot adjacent to the canal,” which caused limited visibility due to the dust, CHP said.

The driver, identified as 22-year-old Alexander Alcocer, “mistakenly drove into the canal.”

Alcocer is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol at the time. He was arrested for DUI causing injury, as well as gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

The crash remains under investigation.

This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 11:17 AM.