A woman more than 100 years old was killed Thursday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Auberry Road and Old Millerton Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. The collision, which also left four other people injured, remains under active investigation.
How the Crash Happened
The California Highway Patrol reported the crash occurred at approximately 12:45 p.m. Investigators said an 18-year-old woman from Clovis was driving a Toyota sedan eastbound on Old Millerton Road when she failed to stop at a posted stop sign and entered the intersection. Her vehicle was struck by a northbound Nissan sedan driven by an 88-year-old man from Prather.
The force of the impact sent both vehicles off the roadway, where they came to rest against an embankment. A female passenger seated in the right rear seat of the Nissan, who was more than 100 years old, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 18-year-old Toyota driver was airlifted to Community Regional Medical Center with major injuries. The 88-year-old Nissan driver was also injured, and two additional passengers in the Nissan were transported by ambulance with moderate to major injuries. CHP investigators said alcohol and drugs do not appear to have been factors in the crash.
A Message From GJEL Managing Partner Andy Gillin
“When I read about a case like this, my heart goes out to every person affected by it. A woman who lived through more than a century of life had her final moments taken from her in an instant, on a road she likely traveled countless times before. To the family grieving her loss, and to the young driver and other passengers now recovering from serious injuries, please know that you are not alone. Our firm has spent more than 40 years helping California families get answers and the compensation they deserve after a crash like this one. You don’t have to carry this burden by yourself, and you don’t have to figure out your legal options while you’re still trying to process what happened. We’re here when you’re ready.”
Understanding Liability in a Failure-to-Stop Collision
Under California law, drivers have a legal duty to exercise reasonable care behind the wheel, including obeying posted traffic control devices such as stop signs. California Civil Code §1714 establishes that a person is responsible for injuries caused by their failure to use ordinary care. When a driver fails to stop at a posted stop sign and enters an intersection, resulting in a collision, that failure can serve as strong evidence of negligence.
Investigators will typically examine several factors before determining fault, including sight lines at the intersection, the speed of both vehicles, weather and lighting conditions, and any physical evidence such as skid marks or vehicle damage patterns. Because this crash resulted in a fatality, the CHP’s investigation will be thorough, and the findings could play a significant role in any civil claims that follow.
Legal Options for Surviving Family Members
California law allows certain surviving family members to pursue a wrongful death claim when a loved one is killed due to another party’s negligence. Under California Code of Civil Procedure §377.60, eligible parties typically include a surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, and in some cases other dependents or heirs. These claims can seek compensation for the financial and emotional losses that come with losing a family member, including funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship.
Separately, California Code of Civil Procedure §377.30 allows a decedent’s estate to bring a survival action, which covers damages the victim could have claimed had they survived, such as pain and suffering endured between the time of the crash and the time of death.
Families should also be aware of California’s statute of limitations. Under CCP §335.1, most personal injury and wrongful death claims must generally be filed within two years of the date of the incident. Waiting too long to explore legal options can result in losing the right to pursue compensation altogether, so it’s important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
What About the Injured Passengers and Drivers?
The surviving passengers and drivers involved in this crash may also have grounds to pursue compensation for their injuries, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Because multiple people were hurt across two vehicles, questions of shared or comparative fault may come into play. California follows a pure comparative negligence system, meaning an injured person can still recover damages even if they are found partially at fault, though their recovery may be reduced by their percentage of fault.
How Settlement Value Is Calculated in a Fatal Crash Case
Insurance companies and attorneys often use two primary methods to help estimate a fair settlement in a wrongful death or serious injury case: the multiplier method and the per diem method.
The multiplier method takes the total of a victim’s economic damages, such as medical bills, funeral costs, and lost income, and multiplies that figure by a number typically ranging from 1.5 to 5, depending on the severity of the harm and the impact on the family. A case involving a fatality and multiple injured parties, like this one, often falls on the higher end of that range due to the emotional and financial toll involved.
The per diem method assigns a specific dollar value to each day a victim or their family has been affected by the loss, then multiplies that number by the number of days the impact is expected to continue. For wrongful death claims involving loss of companionship or financial support, this method can help quantify losses that unfold over months or years.
These methods provide a starting point for negotiations, but the actual value of a claim depends on the specific facts of the case, including the strength of the evidence, insurance policy limits, and the extent of the injuries and losses involved.
Local Resources for Families Affected by This Crash
California Highway Patrol, Fresno Area Office
1380 E. Fortune Ave, Fresno, CA 93725
(559) 705-2200
chp.ca.gov/find-an-office/central-division/435-fresno
Community Regional Medical Center (Level I Trauma Center)
2823 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721
(559) 459-6000
communitymedical.org
Fresno County Coroner’s Office
For information related to the release of a loved one following a fatal crash, families can contact the Fresno County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office directly for guidance on next steps.
