Madera County, CA (August 20, 2024) A 61-year-old Madera man was killed in a multi-vehicle accident on Highway 145 in Madera County. The accident occurred around 11:15 p.m. on Sunday, August 18th, near Road 29, according to reports. The chaotic and fatal collision ended with one person’s arrest for DUI.
Reports indicated that 5 vehicles were involved in a collision on Highway 145 in Madera County, near the Santa Fe Railroad overcrossing. At approximately 11:15 p.m., a Dodge Charger was heading in the westbound lanes of the highway, veered into the eastbound lanes. A 61-year-old man was driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck east, when he suddenly saw the Dodge veer into his lane, directly in front of him. The two vehicles collided, officers reported. The impact sent the Ford onto the shoulder of the highway and the Dodge came to a stop in the middle of the roadway.
As the damaged vehicles sat on Highway 145, an 85-year-old man from Marina was heading west in a Nissan Rogue at approximately 60 miles per hour. Reports indicated that the man could not see black Dodge sitting in the darkness in the middle of the highway, and slammed into it. This caused the Nissan to spin into the eastbound lanes of traffic. A Toyota Prius, driven by a 30-year-old woman, was headed east and rear-ended the Nissan.
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As if this wasn’t enough of a chaotic scene, another vehicle, driven by a 66-year-old Los Banos man, was heading west in a 2020 Dodge Ram pickup truck. He ended up crashing into the Dodge, going at a speed of about 60 miles per hour. The force from this last impact sent the Dodge onto the shoulder of Highway 145.
Emergency crews quickly arrived at the scene and paramedics began checking for those in need of medical attention. The 61-year-old Madera man who had been driving the Ford sustained serious injuries in the accident, according to reports. He was transported by medical helicopter to Community Regional Medical Center to receive treatment. Sadly, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Dodge was driven by a 39-year-old man who was also rushed to a local hospital, via ambulance, to receive treatment for major injuries, officers reported. The three other drivers involved were all taken to local hospital to receive treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.
Following the initial investigation, officers determined that the driver of the Dodge had been intoxicated at the time of the accident. He was placed under arrest at the hospital.
