A Tulare man suffers major injuries in crash that left a second driver dead at the scene
TULARE COUNTY – A collision west of Tulare left one man ejected from his car, and another in the hospital last week.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) at approximately 1:55 a.m. last Friday, Oct. 15, officers from the Visalia area office responded to a call of a traffic collision on State Route 137 at Road 68. During the initial investigation it was determined, Francisco Zuniga, from Tulare, was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado traveling eastbound State Route 137 at 60 miles per hour approaching the intersection of Road 68, which is uncontrolled for east west traffic.
An unidentified male driver of a 1991 Nissan Pathfinder was traveling southbound on Road 68, at an unknown speed, approaching the intersection of State Route 137 which is controlled by a stop sign and limit line.
The driver of the Nissan failed to stop for the posted stop sign and entered the intersection directly into the path of the Chevrolet. The Chevrolet struck the Nissan broadside sending both vehicles in a southeast direction into a dirt field. The driver of the Nissan was unrestrained and subsequently ejected from his vehicle. The driver of the Nissan suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Chevrolet suffered major injury and was transported to Kaweah Health by ambulance. It is unknown if drugs or alcohol played a factor.
CHP collision report
Tuesday, Oct. 12
At approximately 3:35 p.m., officers from the CHP Visalia area responded to a call of a vehicle versus pedestrian crash on Road 160 at Freedom Avenue in an unincorporated area of Tulare County. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that a 69-year-old female, was crossing the T-intersection of Road 160 at Freedom Avenue. At this time Jose Lopez, 27, from Woodlake was driving a 2019 Ram 3500, facing southbound on Road 160, and stopped just south of the intersection. At this time, the driver of the Ram 3500 was backing up on Road 160 at the same time the female pedestrian was crossing the intersection in a north/westerly direction. The driver of the Ram 3500 was unable to see the pedestrian walking behind his vehicle while he was backing up and crashed into her. The pedestrian was transported to Kaweah Health Medical Center, where she succumbed to her injuries. The investigation is ongoing, but it appears neither alcohol nor drugs contributed to this crash.
