Two Fresno County Sheriff’s deputies injured, Tuesday afternoon after their patrol vehicle collided with a Fresno Area Express (FAX) bus while they attempted to stop a driver traveling the wrong way through downtown Fresno. Seven bus passengers were also taken to the hospital as a precaution.
The driver whose wrong-way maneuver triggered the chain of events fled the scene and has not been located. The collision occurred in one of downtown Fresno’s busier corridors, near the M Street Courthouse, an area that sees steady vehicle and foot traffic on weekday afternoons.
The timing of the crash, just after 5 p.m., placed it squarely within the evening commute, when both roadway and transit ridership are typically at their highest. That combination of factors, a wrong-way vehicle, an active pursuit, and a public bus carrying passengers through a congested downtown corridor, illustrates how quickly a single reckless decision can put multiple people in harm’s way and injure deputies.
How the Collision Unfolded on M Street
According to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the two deputies were parked near the courthouse on M Street when they spotted a white sedan speeding north in the wrong direction on the one-way street at approximately 5:10 p.m. The deputies pulled out to follow the vehicle and activated their emergency lights in an attempt to initiate a stop.
The sedan did not yield. As the patrol car reached the intersection of M Street and Stanislaus Street, it collided with the side of a FAX bus, disabling the patrol vehicle and leaving it with significant front-end damage. The wrong-way driver continued on and left the scene without stopping. As of this report, the driver has not been identified or apprehended.
The stretch of M Street between the courthouse and Stanislaus Street is short, just a few blocks, which meant the deputies had only seconds to react once they spotted the oncoming sedan. That narrow window is common in wrong-way driving incidents, where officers and other drivers often have little time to assess the danger and respond safely before a collision becomes unavoidable.
In the aftermath, the intersection at M and Stanislaus was closed to traffic for a period while investigators documented the scene, photographed vehicle damage, and worked to piece together the exact sequence of events. The disabled patrol car remained at the scene until it could be towed, and the FAX bus was taken out of service pending inspection.
Emergency Response and Injuries
Emergency medical personnel and Fresno police officers responded quickly to the scene at Stanislaus and M streets. Both deputies were transported to the hospital, and at least one was seen being placed into an ambulance at the scene. The seven passengers on the FAX bus at the time of the collision were also taken to area hospitals as a precaution.
Early reports indicate the injuries sustained by those involved were relatively minor, though the full extent of everyone’s condition may not be known for some time, since some injuries, particularly whiplash, soft tissue damage, and head trauma, do not always present symptoms immediately after a crash.
With nine people transported from a single collision, first responders had to coordinate triage across multiple patients at once, a task that becomes more complex when the injured include both law enforcement personnel and civilian bus riders who may have been seated in different parts of the vehicle at the moment of impact.
Bus passengers, in particular, are often thrown from their seats or braced against poles and handrails during a sudden collision, which can produce injuries ranging from bruising and lacerations to fractures, depending on where a passenger was standing or sitting when the bus was struck.
Because everyone involved was still being evaluated at the time of this report, it remains unclear whether any of the nine hospitalized individuals will require extended treatment or follow-up care in the days ahead.
Understanding Liability When a Wrong-Way Driver Triggers a Crash
Under California law, a driver who causes a chain-reaction collision can still be held financially responsible even if their vehicle never physically touches the other vehicles involved. California Civil Code Section 1714 establishes that a person is liable for injuries caused by their want of ordinary care, and courts have long recognized that a driver who forces others into an emergency response.
This, as such, as a pursuit or evasive maneuver, can be a substantial factor in causing the resulting harm. Here, the wrong-way driver’s decision to travel against traffic and refuse to stop set in motion the events that led directly to the patrol car’s collision with the bus.
The fact that the driver fled the scene raises additional legal exposure. Leaving the scene of an injury collision without stopping to identify oneself or render aid violates California Vehicle Code Section 20001, and evading a peace officer is addressed separately under Vehicle Code Section 2800.1 and, where reckless driving is involved, Section 2800.2. These are criminal statutes, but the underlying conduct they describe also forms the basis for civil liability against the driver once the driver is identified.
A Case Involving Two Public Entities
This incident is somewhat unique in that both vehicles involved in the actual collision, the sheriff’s patrol car and the FAX bus, are owned and operated by public entities. Anyone injured in the crash, including the bus passengers, who wishes to pursue a claim against Fresno County or the City of Fresno’s transit system must comply with California’s Government Claims Act.
Under Government Code Section 911.2, a claim against a public entity generally must be filed within six months of the incident, a dramatically shorter window than the two-year statute of limitations under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1 that typically applies to standard negligence claims against private individuals.
Missing this six-month deadline can permanently bar a claim, regardless of how strong the underlying case may be, which makes prompt legal guidance especially important for anyone injured in a crash involving a government vehicle. Because the wrong-way driver is currently unidentified, injured parties may also need to consider an uninsured motorist claim.
This is because a driver who cannot be located or identified cannot be pursued directly for damages until law enforcement determines who was behind the wheel. This shortened timeline catches many injured people off guard, particularly bus passengers who may not immediately realize that FAX operates as a public transit agency subject to the same claims procedures as the county.
Filing a government claim also involves specific procedural requirements beyond the deadline itself, including submitting the claim on the correct form and to the appropriate governmental body, whether the Fresno County Board of Supervisors or the City of Fresno’s risk management office.
An incomplete or misdirected claim can be rejected on technical grounds alone, separate from the merits of the underlying injury, which is one reason injured passengers and other affected parties are often encouraged to seek legal guidance well before the six-month window closes.
Comparative Fault and Multiple Parties
California follows a pure comparative fault system, meaning that responsibility for a single collision can be divided among more than one party based on the degree to which each contributed to the harm. In a case like this one, an investigation may examine the actions of the fleeing driver, the pursuing patrol car, and the bus operator to determine how fault should be allocated. Under pure comparative fault, an injured person can still recover damages even if they are found partially responsible, with their compensation reduced in proportion to their own share of fault.
Determining how fault should be divided in a crash like this one typically requires a careful look at several factors working together: the wrong-way driver’s speed and refusal to stop, the patrol car’s rate of travel and right-of-way at the intersection, and whether the bus operator had any opportunity to see the approaching patrol car and take evasive action.
Traffic signal timing, witness statements, and any available surveillance or dash camera footage often play a central role in reconstructing exactly how the intersection collision occurred. Because the wrong-way driver has not yet been identified, a full fault analysis may not be possible until law enforcement completes its investigation, which can leave injured parties waiting longer than usual to understand how liability will ultimately be apportioned.
How Injury Settlements Are Calculated
For anyone injured in this collision, whether a bus passenger, a deputy, or another affected party, understanding how compensation is calculated can help clarify what a claim may be worth. Attorneys and insurance adjusters commonly rely on one of two methods when placing a value on pain and suffering.
The multiplier method takes the total of a person’s economic damages, such as medical bills and lost wages, and multiplies that figure by a number typically between 1.5 and 5, depending on the severity and permanence of the injury, to account for non-economic harm. The per diem method instead assigns a specific dollar value to each day a person experiences pain and limitations.
This is resulting from their injuries, then multiplying that daily rate by the number of days the person is expected to be affected. Catastrophic injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, or injuries requiring ongoing rehabilitation, often warrant a more detailed calculation that accounts for future medical care, diminished earning capacity, and long-term quality of life impacts.
Catastrophic Injury Settlement Calculators and Computing Settlement Values
For anyone facing a catastrophic injury, whether a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, severe burns, or an injury requiring amputation, settlement calculators offer a useful starting point for understanding what a claim might realistically be worth, though they are never a substitute for a full case evaluation by an experienced attorney.
These calculators typically begin by totaling a person’s economic damages, including past and projected future medical expenses, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and the cost of any necessary home modifications or long-term care. From there, the calculator applies either the multiplier method or the per diem method to estimate non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.
Catastrophic injuries generally command a higher multiplier, often toward the upper end of the 1.5 to 5 range, because the impact on a person’s daily functioning, independence, and life expectancy tends to be far more severe and permanent than in a routine injury claim.
A catastrophic injury settlement calculator can also help illustrate how future costs, such as ongoing physical therapy, adaptive equipment, or in-home nursing care, compound over a person’s expected lifespan, giving injured individuals and their families a clearer picture of what full and fair compensation should account for before they consider accepting any settlement offer from an insurance company. Call us now at 1-855-508-9565 to speak with the experts.
Injured in a Fresno Car Accident? GJEL Accident Attorneys Can Help
“Seeing this many people hurt in a single crash is always hard to read about, and I imagine it’s even harder to live through, whether you were on that bus, behind the wheel of that patrol car, or a family member waiting for a call. If you or someone you love was injured on Tuesday, please don’t wait to get answers. Cases involving public entities move on a much shorter clock than most people realize, and the wrong-way driver who caused all of this still hasn’t been found. You deserve to understand your options and have someone in your corner who will fight to protect them. That’s what we’re here for.”-Andy Gillin, GJEL Accident Attorneys
Collisions involving multiple vehicles, government entities, and drivers who flee the scene raise legal questions that are rarely straightforward. With more than 40 years of experience and over $950 million recovered for injured clients, GJEL Accident Attorneys understands how to navigate claims involving public entities, hit-and-run drivers, and comparative fault disputes.
The firm represents injured clients on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs and no fees unless a recovery is made. Anyone injured in this collision or another California accident can call 1-855-508-9565 or visit our Stockton office for a free consultation.
Local Resources and Agencies for Those Affected
Anyone seeking updates on the investigation, wanting to file a report, or looking for information about this collision can contact several agencies directly involved in Fresno’s roadway safety and public transit systems:
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the deputies involved in this crash, maintains an official website at https://www.fresnosheriff.org, where the public can find crime reporting tools, case updates, and general contact information, and its non-emergency line at (559) 600-3111.
The Fresno Police Department, which responded to assist at the scene and generally handles crash investigations within city limits, can be reached through its official page at https://www.fresno.gov/police, which includes information on filing reports, contacting specialized traffic units, and reaching department leadership, along with its non-emergency line at (559) 621-7000.
The California Highway Patrol’s Fresno Area office, which handles traffic collision investigations and safety enforcement throughout Fresno County, can be reached through its official CHP directory listing at https://www.chp.ca.gov/find-an-office/central-division/435-fresno, or by phone at (559) 705-2200.
For questions specifically involving the FAX bus, its operations, or filing a formal complaint or claim related to Tuesday’s collision, Fresno Area Express can be reached through the City of Fresno’s transportation department at https://www.fresno.gov/transportation/fax/contact-fax, or by calling (559) 621-RIDE (7433).
Finally, Community Regional Medical Center, the region’s only Level I trauma center and the likely destination for anyone requiring serious emergency or follow-up care from this collision, can be reached at https://www.communitymedical.org or by phone at (559) 459-6000.
