Fresno County Van Accident Ends Fatally on American Avenue, near Orange Cove

San Joaquin Valley Automobile Accident Lawyer John Rozier has the following report; On Friday, January 9, 2015, four people were killed in a big rig accident.  A van and semi truck were involved in the collision, that occurred near Orange Cove, in Fresno County.

A Chevrolet Astro van which was carrying nine farm workers, from Porterville, was headed down American Avenue.  The driver, Augustin Mendoza, 39, attempted to pass a tractor-trailer that was about to turn left, at the intersection of Navelencia Avenue.

The Chevy crashed into the front of the big rig, and cause the rig to overturn.  Four victims in the Astro van, which could legally only hold eight people, were ejected from the vehicle,  They were Aguileo Vazquez Vargas, his son Fortino Vasquez Tepeco, Jorge Aguilera, and Pedro Rodriguez Vasquez.

The four men were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.  The other workers in the van sustained minor injuries.  They were taken by ambulance to Community Regional Medical Center, in Fresno.

The semi truck driver was not harmed in the incident.

Mendoza has since been arrested for four counts of vehicular manslaughter.

The police report may take several weeks to prepare—in the meantime we can probably obtain a cover sheet of the accident report for the families of the deceased.  Please let me help you.  559-713-0159 or contact online at www.nelsonrozier.com.