MADERA COUNTY, CA – A devastating accident occurred on Friday when a pickup truck and a minivan carrying farmworkers collided, resulting in eight fatalities and one injury, as reported by the California Highway Patrol.
The collision took place around 6:15 a.m. when, for reasons yet to be determined, an older male driving a Chevrolet Silverado veered into the opposing lane, crashing head-on into a GMC Safari. The incident was confirmed by Officer Javier Ruvalcaba, a spokesperson for the agency.
The tragic accident claimed the lives of both vehicle drivers and six passengers in the GMC. Ruvalcaba detailed that one individual was thrown from the vehicle while another was partially ejected during the impact.
The individual who survived the collision was rushed to the Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno. As of Friday afternoon, their condition was not disclosed.
While the identities and ages of the victims have yet to be released, Ruvalcaba confirmed that all involved were adult males. The GMC was transporting a total of eight people at the time of the accident.
Ruvalcaba further noted that aside from the driver and front passenger of the GMC, none of the occupants were wearing seat belts at the time of the collision. The investigation is ongoing, and it is yet to be determined whether drugs or alcohol were contributing factors in the crash.