Cadillac Escalade driver causes three-vehicle crash in Fresno that kills woman, CHP says
A woman died and a small car ended up mangled by two larger vehicles during a collision Thursday afternoon in southwest Fresno.
California Highway Patrol responded around 3:15 p.m. to reports of a crash on Church Avenue between West and Hughes avenues.
CHP said a small Kia was hit from the back by a Cadillac Escalade, which is a full-size SUV, then toward the front by a GMC van, which is also significantly larger than the Kia.
Just prior to the accident, CHP said a man and a woman were inside a Kia and stopped on westbound Church Avenue while waiting to make a left turn into their residence.
Then the Cadillac Escalade rear-ended them.
That impact caused the Kia to go into the lane of upcoming traffic and directly into the path of a GMC driver with a 63-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman inside.
The Kia ended up crushed from behind by the Escalade and severely damaged in the front from the head-on collision with the GMC van.
A 31-year-old female passenger inside the Kia was transported to Fresno Community Regional Medical Center but did not survive.
CHP said it was unclear why the driver of the Escalade, a 41-year-old man, did not slow down or attempt to avoid the rear of the Kia.
An investigation determined that all parties were wearing their seat belts at the tiem of the crash, and no drugs or alcohol are suspected, according to CHP.
