By DJ Becker / The Madera News February 9th, 2022
A Madera man was arrested on charges of DUI/drugs and gross vehicular homicide Wednesday afternoon, according to the California Highway Patrol, after he turned directly into the path of another car on Road 27 at Avenue 17, causing a horrific three-vehicle collision resulting in the death of that driver. A critically injured man and an 11-year-old girl were pinned inside for some time as firefighters used hydraulic cutting tools to extricate all the occupants from the badly damaged car.
Records show Miguel Olmos Hernandez, 33, of Madera has three previous arrests for DUI according to the charges filed and was driving on a suspended driver’s license at the time of the fatal collision. Hernandez sustained only minor injuries in the collision. Toxicology reports are pending.
A 2014 Nissan Rouge is unrecognizable after being hit by a DUI driver on Road 27 at Ave 17.
Officers said Hernandez was driving a 2008 Chrysler 300 northbound on Road 27 about 4:15 pm and was stopped at a stop sign when he proceeded to turn directly in front of a 2014 Nissan Rogue traveling southbound on Road 27. The 49-year-old female driver of the Nissan attempted to take evasive action, struck the Chrysler, and then spun where it collided head-on with an F350 pickup truck pulling a trailer with construction equipment. The combined force of the impact killed the driver, and critically injured her right front 53-year-old male passenger and an unseatbelted 11-year-old girl in the back seat. The man was flown via LifeFlight helicopter to Community Regional Medical Center due to the extent of his injuries. The driver of the F350 pickup truck sustained only minor injuries and declined treatment at the scene. Roadway conditions at the time were clear and dry. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Hernandez is facing multiple charges and is being held on a $1 million bond at the Madera County Jail.
