Fresno County, CA – According to FOX26, the names of two drivers involved in a fatal multi-vehicle collision at Manning and Riverbend Avenues on Wednesday, February 3, 2024, have been released as 25-year-old Reedley man Samuel Sanchez and 24-year-old Selma man Guillermo Contreras.
According to investigations, Sanchez was speeding westbound on Manning in a Jeep Grand Cherokee, approaching Contreras ahead of him in a Honda Civic. When Sanchez attempted to pass Contreras, the rear end of his Jeep struck the front end of the Honda Civic, causing him to lose control of the vehicle.
The Jeep crashed through the center divider, flipped, and entered the opposite lane, right in the path of a Honda Accord, whose driver has not yet been named. Both the Jeep and Honda Accord received major damage from the collision, and the Jeep caught fire.
The unnamed third driver of the Honda Accord died as a result of his wounds from the crash. Sanchez suffered serious injuries and was pulled from the burning wreck of his Jeep by Contreras, who was not injured. Sanchez received transport to a hospital for medical treatment.
Investigators have yet to determine whether intoxication played a role in the collision.
Wrongful Death Claims
Establishing fault in a collision can depend on multiple factors. Helping to determine legal liability is one of the ways that a personal injury attorney can help grieving families recovering from the loss of a loved one in a traffic accident.
If it is determined that another driver holds responsibility for their loved one’s death, they may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim with the insurance provider of the at-fault driver. A wrongful death claim can provide compensation to help cover hospital fees, burial costs, and the loss of support for dependents of the deceased.
Insurance companies will work to reduce any claim they cannot deny, which is where the help of a knowledgeable personal injury attorney can prove invaluable by negotiating on behalf of victims and their families to ensure they receive proper compensation.
