Man dies in head-on crash with fleeing suspect from separate hit-run in Fresno

One person died and the driver of a second vehicle is facing vehicular manslaughter as well as other charges following a high-speed, head-on collision early Thursday in northwest Fresno, police reported.

Police, the California Highway Patrol and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office were at the scene investigating the incident, as well as a second collision that happened several minutes before, said police spokesman Felipe Uribe.

UPDATE: Coroner identifies victim in fatal crash

Golden State between Ashlan and Shaw avenues would be closed for several hours as part of the investigation, added Uribe.

Authorities interviewed the driver of a third car, who told officers the incident began just before the 6:53 a.m. collision as the driver of a silver Ford F-150 collided with his sedan near westbound Highway 180 and northbound Highway 99.

The driver said the pickup driver did not pull over after the crash, so he followed as the driver sped north on 99 to the Golden State offramp.

Uribe said the pickup driver lost control at high speed while northbound on Golden State, and drove into the southbound lane, where he slammed head-on into a black pickup driven by a man in his 50s. That man was killed in the collision as arriving firefighters attempted to cut him free from the crumpled vehicle.

The driver of the car involved in the Highway 180 crash remained at the scene for several hours and as he was interviewed by both police and CHP officers.

Uribe said it was never advisable for a driver to follow a car that flees a hit-and-run collision and advised drivers to let their insurance company settle the incident for them. But Uribe added that it did not appear the driver would be charged in connection with the collision.