Family Dies in a Car Crash as Dad Helplessly Watches
Police say that a man had tried to save his family but couldn’t so the California Man had to helplessly watch as his wife and his four young children perished in a fiery crash.
According to CHP (California Highway Patrol) Officer Axel Reyes stated that the man was following behind his family on a Saturday night when the driver of a minivan ran a stop sign. The minivan struck his wife and children in their Ford Expedition at the Fresno County Intersection.
The Expedition was thrown into a nearby house’s front yard then it burst into flames. The 29 year old mother and her children, boys ages 1 and 3 and the girls ages 6 and 11 were trapped inside.
According to Reyes, The Father had told officers he was about a quarter-mile behind his family when he saw the flash of flames. The Ford was already on fire when he finally got to them. He desperately tried to free his family from the vehicle, he even broke the windows and suffered from minor burns to his hands in the process.
California Highway Patrol Captain, Dave Paris told the NEWS that the mother had also tried to escape the vehicle but she didn’t make it.
The driver of the minivan, Juana Martinez Bejarano who is 41 years old was being treated at a local hospital for major injuries. There has been no arrest yet and CHP is still investigating the crash. A witness did tell authorities that the minivan was traveling about 60 mph or near 55 mph which is the limit of the county roads in that area. However, police think that speed was not the factor in the crash nor was drugs or alcohol.
The coroner’s investigators have yet to confirm the identities of the burned bodies.
CHP Officer Reyes talks about the crash
You almost could not have timed it any better, the two front corners of the two vehicles struck at the worst angle — right near the engine blocks — likely leading to the fire.
The Investigators were looking into to Juana’s medical history. The think that with her history some of her medication might have been a factor in the accident.
Daniel A. Gibalevich
