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Two people were killed on Highway 180 on April 25, 2023 in Eastern Fresno County when a Jeep and a truck collided head-on. A man was driving his Jeep Liberty east on Highway 180 at about 11:20 a.m. with a passenger in the vehicle; they were between Alta and Frankwood avenues.
According to California Highway Patrol, the Jeep was traveling at a high rate of speed, and the driver allowed it to cross over center yellow lines. At that moment, a Chevrolet truck towing a utility trailer was passing, carrying a man and two children, aged 16 and 4.
Both of the people in the Jeep died, the driver being ejected from his seat because he was unrestrained (not wearing a seatbelt). The woman who was the passenger in the jeep suffered critical injuries and was flown to Community Regional Medical Center. She later died as a result of her injuries.
The driver of the truck suffered more moderate injuries and the two minors were not injured at all. They were all taken to CRMC for observation as well, and Highway 180 was closed while CHP and others investigated the crash. Photos of the incident showed the truck damaged and debris all over the road.
This is one of several Fresno truck crashes that have occurred in the last few weeks, and statistics even show that truck collisions and truck collision deaths are far more frequent in Fresno than in almost any other part of California.
“Two people lost their lives, and it’s a terrible tragedy,” said Singleton Schreiber Managing Partner Gerald Singleton. “It’s disturbing that this keeps happening in Fresno, and while we’re grateful the children were uninjured, they still had to be involved in a terrible tragedy that will surely scar them for life mentally.”
Singleton Schreiber’s Fresno truck and Jeep accident attorneys can be reached at 559-702-0846 or by emailing info@singletonschreiber.com.
Fresno Truck Collisions
In the heart of the Central Valley, Fresno is an agricultural community that sees all kinds of trucks that transport crops, dairy products, farming equipment and more. These large trucks can be a hazard if they aren’t driven and maintained properly. In this Jeep and truck crash, the Jeep was traveling at high speeds while the truck was towing a utility trailer that made it heavier and quite likely harder to maneuver. Even if the truck driver was well aware of the danger ahead, it may have been too difficult to steer out of the way.
According to traffic statistics, Fresno truck accidents and truck accident deaths jumped up from 2020 to 2021. In 2020, which included months of business closures due to Covid, there were 188 truck crashes in Fresno and 24 people died from truck crashes. In 2021, There were 240 truck crashes, although the truck wrongful deaths dropped to 20. Still, that means 10% of track crashes in Fresno ended with someone dying. That percentage is three times lower in larger metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles.
Fresno Wrongful Deaths and Trucks
Head-on truck collisions in Fresno and the rest of the central valley are unfortunately not uncommon, and the stats and media reports bear that out. This past December, a 45-year-old woman was killed in a head-on crash involving a big rig in Hanford, just south of Fresno. This happened on Highway 43. There was a rollover crash in north Fresno in January that seriously injured a man. Just a few days ago, a 34-year-old Fresno man died after he was ejected from his 2016 Honda when a truck struck him while making a left-turn. These types of fatal truck accidents in Fresno are far too common, and often quite deadly.
Reasons for Fresno Truck Accidents
Truck accidents happen for all kinds of reasons:
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Poorly maintained vehicles
- Negligent drivers
- Sleepy drivers
- And much more
Often, the passengers in each vehicle as well as one of the drivers is completely innocent of any dangerous or illegal behavior. However, as in this case, the consequences of a Fresno truck crash can be deadly.
“No one will know the thought process of the Jeep Liberty driver who was traveling at high speeds,” said the Fresno truck crash attorney Gerald Singleton. “But we do know that the driver and passengers in the truck survived and may have long-term medical and therapy bills to cope with. We also know the Jeep driver and passenger are no longer with us, and their families must now cope with this terrible tragedy.”
Drivers, passengers and the loved ones of those injured in a Fresno County truck accident should contact Singleton Schreiber at 559-702-0846 or by emailing info@singletonschreiber.com.
