SANGER – An early morning car accident near Bethel Avenue resulted in the death of an unidentified driver after their car collided with a tree and burst into flames.
On June 14 just after 3 a.m., the Fresno Area California Highway Patrol (CHP) Communications Center received a call of an injury collision on Highway 180 eastbound, west of Bethel Avenue in Fresno County.
Officers from the Fresno Area CHP and medical emergency personnel responded to the scene. In total, one driver was pronounced deceased at the scene and four were transported to Community Regional Medical Center (CRMC) for their injuries.
Preliminary investigation indicates a 26-year-old female of Sanger was driving a Dodge Charger at a high speed eastbound on Highway 180 west of Bethel Avenue. An unidentified solo driver was driving a Honda Odyssey eastbound on Highway 180, west of Bethel Avenue and ahead of the Dodge Charger.
For reasons yet to be determined, the driver of the Dodge allowed her vehicle to rear end the Honda at a high rate of speed. The force of the impact pushed the Honda off the roadway onto the south shoulder where it collided into a tree. The impact caused the Honda to burst into flames and it became fully engulfed with the driver inside. The driver of the Honda was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The driver of the Dodge, including occupants, were transported to CRMC with minor injuries. The use of alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in this collision.
