California Crash: Head-on Collision Kills 7 Kids, 2 Adults

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has reported that seven children and two adults died in a horror crash on New Year’s Day.

Authorities said the victims lost their lives in a head-on collision between an SUV and a pickup truck in central California on January 1, 2021.

According to confirmed reports, the children, between six and 15 years old, were part of two related families travelling in a 2007 Ford F-150 pick-up when it was hit by a Dodge Journey on State Route 33 between Avenal and Coalinga around 8pm on Friday.

The Fresno County coroner’s office and the California Highway Patrol said the Dodge Journey swerved into path of Ford carrying the children

Evidence from the scene indicated that the Dodge, being driven by a 28-year-old man, was traveling southbound on the highway when it veered onto the dirt shoulder for an unknown reason, police said.

The driver then overcorrected and swerved into the oncoming lane, where it struck the Ford, driven by a woman.

The Ford burst into flames on the shoulder, while the Dodge came to a stop straddling both lanes of the highway, police said.

All eight people, including the seven children, inside the Ford, were killed and Highway Patrol Captain Kevin Clays said the pickup was equipped with only six seatbelts.

The New York Times reported Clays as saying that the officers, who responded to the collision, have been offered counselling.

“It’s tragic for the community. It’s tragic for our officers that respond to these incidents”, he said

The driver of the Dodge was identified as Daniel Luna of Avenal. The coroner’s office was working on identifying the victims in the Ford. – The Guardian