An elderly man died Sunday evening, September 13, 2026, after being struck by a driver who fled the scene in Central Fresno. According to the Fresno Police Department, officers responded to the intersection of McKinley and Normal Avenues, a residential crossing, and found the man, who was in his 80s, dead when they arrived.
His identity has not yet been released. The driver responsible did not stop to render aid or identify themselves, leaving investigators to piece together what happened from witness accounts and surveillance footage in the area. The intersection remained closed for several hours while police processed the scene, and nearby traffic was rerouted. As of this writing, the search for the driver continues, and no arrest has been announced.
What We Know About the Investigation
Fresno Police have confirmed that the case is being treated as a fatal pedestrian hit-and-run investigation. Officers are canvassing the neighborhood for anyone who may have seen the crash or the vehicle involved, and detectives are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses and residences that may have captured the moment of impact or the driver leaving the area.
Cases like this often hinge on the quality of that footage and the willingness of witnesses to come forward. A clear image of the vehicle, even a partial license plate or a distinctive dent, can be the difference between an arrest within days and a case that goes cold. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Fresno Police so investigators can act quickly while the evidence is still fresh.
California’s Duty to Stop and Render Aid
California law leaves no ambiguity about what a driver must do after a collision. Vehicle Code Section 20001 requires any driver involved in an accident that results in injury or death to stop at the scene, provide identifying information, and render reasonable assistance to the injured party. Failing to do so is not a minor infraction.
A hit-and-run resulting in death is chargeable as a felony, and a conviction can carry years in state prison in addition to the underlying liability for causing the crash. Beyond the criminal exposure, fleeing the scene of a fatal collision is generally treated as negligence per se under California Civil Code Section 1714.
This means the driver’s violation of the Vehicle Code can itself establish fault in a civil case. In practical terms, a driver who runs is often assigned a greater share of liability than one who stays, cooperates, and calls for help.
The duty to stop goes beyond simply pulling over. Vehicle Code Section 20003 requires the driver to provide their name, current address, and vehicle registration information to the injured party, to any police officer at the scene, or to the owner of any damaged property, and to show their driver’s license upon request.
Section 20004 goes further in fatal collisions, requiring the driver to notify the nearest local police authority or the California Highway Patrol without unnecessary delay if no officer is present at the scene. When a driver flees, they violate all of these obligations at once, which is part of why prosecutors treat hit-and-run cases involving a death so seriously.
The law does allow for narrow circumstances, such as a driver who is too injured to comply or who reasonably fears for their safety, but simply not knowing whether the collision caused serious harm is not a defense. Investigators and prosecutors will closely examine what the driver knew or should have known at the moment of impact, since that determination often shapes both the criminal charges filed and the strength of the subsequent civil case.
The Path to a Wrongful Death Claim
For the victim’s family, the criminal investigation and the civil case are related but separate tracks. California Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.60 allows surviving family members, typically a spouse, children, or other dependents, to bring a wrongful death action against the responsible driver once that person is identified.
This claim can seek compensation for funeral and burial costs, the financial support the family has lost, loss of companionship and consortium, and the emotional toll of losing a loved one so suddenly. A related survival action under Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.30 can address any damages the victim himself would have been entitled to claim.
These include pain and suffering in the moments before death, and that claim passes to the estate. Because the driver has not yet been located, the family’s ability to pursue either claim depends heavily on the outcome of the police investigation, though uninsured motorist coverage or other avenues may still be available even if the driver is never found.
How Settlement Value Is Calculated in Fatal Accident Cases
Attorneys evaluating a wrongful death claim typically rely on one of two methods to estimate non-economic damages, losses that do not come with a receipt, such as grief, loss of guidance, or loss of companionship. The multiplier method takes the total of economic damages, such as funeral expenses and lost financial contributions, and multiplies it by a factor generally between 1 and 5, depending on the severity of the circumstances and the strength of the liability evidence.
The per diem method instead assigns a daily dollar value to the family’s loss and multiplies it by the number of days the impact is expected to be felt, sometimes calculated across a life expectancy. Neither method produces an exact number on its own.
Insurance companies and defense attorneys will push back on both, which is why having an attorney who can build a well-documented case, backed by medical records, financial history, and testimony from the victim and surviving family members about their relationship, matters so much in maximizing what a family ultimately recovers.
Beyond the multiplier and per diem methods, the actual settlement value in a fatal hit-and-run case is shaped heavily by practical factors that have nothing to do with formulas. Whether the driver is ever identified and whether they carried valid insurance can determine which sources of recovery are available to the family.
But since an unidentified or uninsured driver often shifts the case toward the victim’s own uninsured motorist coverage rather than a claim directly against the at-fault party. The victim’s age, health, and earning capacity at the time of death also factor into the economic side of the calculation, particularly when the family is seeking compensation for lost financial support over what would have been the victim’s remaining years.
And because a hit-and-run carries the added weight of negligence per se, attorneys will often argue that the flight from the scene itself justifies a higher valuation, since it demonstrates a level of disregard that goes beyond an ordinary traffic mistake. Insurance adjusters know this too, which is why cases involving a driver who fled are frequently contested harder on liability, even as they tend to settle for more once fault is firmly established.
Wrongful Death Settlement Calculators and How They Help in Computing Settlement Values
A wrongful death settlement calculator works much like the fatal accident calculators described above, but it is built specifically around the losses recognized under California’s wrongful death statute rather than general accident damages. Families typically enter figures such as the victim’s age, annual income, and expected years of working remaining.
Also, the number and ages of surviving dependents; funeral and burial costs already incurred; and any medical expenses related to the incident before death. The calculator then combines these economic inputs with an estimate of non-economic losses, using the multiplier or per diem approach.
This is to project the value of claims for loss of financial support, loss of the victim’s household services, and loss of companionship and guidance. For a family that has just lost a father, spouse, or grandparent to a hit-and-run driver, seeing these categories laid out can bring some clarity to a process that otherwise feels abstract and overwhelming.
Where these calculators genuinely help is in framing the conversation a family has with their attorney early on, before medical bills, lost income statements, and testimony from friends and relatives have been gathered to support the claim. They are, however, far less useful for capturing what actually drives settlement value in a real case.
The strength of the liability evidence, whether the at-fault driver carried adequate insurance, and how a jury in Fresno County is likely to view the specific facts, including the added weight of a driver who fled the scene. A calculator cannot account for surveillance footage that clearly identifies a vehicle or for a defense attorney’s attempt to argue the victim was partially at fault for being in the crosswalk.
That is the gap an experienced wrongful death attorney fills: translating a rough estimate into an evidence-backed demand and pushing back when an insurance company’s number falls short of what the family and the law actually support. Call us now at 1-855-508-9565 to speak with the experts.
Take Action Today: You Won’t Pay Unless We Win
“Losing a family member this way, suddenly, and to a driver who didn’t even stay to help, is a pain I don’t think anyone can fully prepare for. I’ve spent more than 40 years sitting across from families in exactly this position, and I can tell you that taking action isn’t about anger; it’s about making sure your loved one’s life isn’t reduced to an unsolved case file. If you’ve lost someone in this crash, or if you’ve been injured in a hit-and-run anywhere in California, please don’t wait to get answers. Evidence disappears quickly, witnesses’ memories fade, and insurance companies move fast to protect themselves. Reach out to an attorney who will move just as fast to protect you and your family. You’ve already been through enough. Let us carry the legal fight so you can focus on healing.” – Andy Gillin, GJEL Accident Attorneys
If you or someone you love has been affected by a hit-and-run crash in California, you do not have to face the legal process alone. GJEL Accident Attorneys has recovered more than $950 million for injured clients and families over more than 40 years, and we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case. Call us today at 1-855-508-9565 or our Walnut Creek office to schedule a free consultation and learn what options may be available to your family.
Local Resources for Those Affected
Fresno Police Department
Anyone with information about this crash, including dashcam or doorbell footage from the area around McKinley and Normal Avenues, should contact the Fresno Police Department. Their non-emergency line is (559) 621-7000, and their headquarters is located at 2323 Mariposa Mall, Fresno, CA 93721. Full department information, including how to file or follow up on a report, is available at www.fresno.gov/police.
California Highway Patrol, Fresno Area Office
While this collision falls within Fresno PD’s jurisdiction, the CHP’s Fresno Area office is a resource for traffic collision reporting and general road safety information throughout Fresno County. More information is available at www.chp.ca.gov/find-an-office/central-division/offices/(435)-fresno.
Fresno County Superior Court, Civil Unlimited Division
Wrongful death claims arising from this crash would generally be filed here, since these cases typically exceed the $35,000 threshold for unlimited civil matters. The Civil Unlimited Division is located at 1130 O Street, Fresno, CA 93721, and can be reached at (559) 457-1900. Case filing information is available at www.fresno.courts.ca.gov/divisions/civil/civil-unlimited.
Fresno County District Attorney, Victim and Witness Resources
Families of crime victims can connect with a Victim-Witness Advocate for help understanding the criminal case, requesting restitution, and preparing a victim impact statement. This office also helps eligible families apply for financial assistance through the California Victim Compensation Board. Details are available at www.fresnoda.org/Victim-Witness-Resources.
California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB)
Families of victims killed in a crime, including a hit-and-run, may qualify for financial assistance covering funeral expenses, mental health services, and other crime-related costs, regardless of whether the driver is ever identified. More information and eligibility details are available at victims.ca.gov.
