Fatal Crash: Semi-Truck and Pickup, Manning Avenue in Fresno County
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. — Alfonso Ventura, 39, of Fresno, was killed in a fiery head-on collision between his pickup truck and a semi-truck early Monday morning at Manning Avenue and Chateau Fresno Avenue in western Fresno County, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The fatal crash was reported at approximately 5:24 a.m. at the rural intersection of West Manning Avenue and South Chateau Fresno Avenue, located southwest of Fresno and near the community of Caruthers.
Initial reports indicated the Fresno man was driving a green Toyota Tundra pickup truck against traffic on eastbound Manning Avenue.
A driver in a white semi-truck pulling a refrigerated trailer attempted to avoid hitting the pickup, but the two vehicles collided head-on. Emergency dispatch logs described the incident as a two-vehicle traffic collision, with witnesses reporting the semi-truck had left the roadway and entered a nearby grape vineyard.
Within minutes of the collision, responding CHP officers reported that the pickup truck became fully engulfed in flames, prompting an immediate response from Cal Fire crews. Dispatch records show firefighters were sent from the Caruthers area to battle the blaze. Despite efforts to save the driver in the pickup truck he died on scene.
Authorities later requested heavy-duty towing equipment to recover the semi-truck and its 53-foot trailer, which reportedly came to rest approximately 20 feet off the roadway. The crash also resulted in the temporary closure of portions of Manning Avenue while investigators and emergency crews worked at the scene.
CHP logs stated the semi-truck driver sustained minor injuries and was transported to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.
Investigators remained at the scene for several hours, and media personnel arrived shortly before 7 a.m. Roadway closures were gradually lifted later in the morning as crews completed recovery operations and cleared debris from the intersection.
The identity of the person killed has not yet been released pending notification of next of kin. Authorities have not disclosed what caused the head-on collision, and it remains under investigation.
Anyone with information regarding the crash is encouraged to contact the California Highway Patrol’s Fresno Area office.
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When it matters most, trust Attorney James Johnson at Johnson Attorneys Group. We are a personal injury law firm serving clients who have been injured throughout California due to negligent motorists. If you were hurt in this collision, call 1-(800) 208-3538. We will request the police report, and the attorney will discuss your options. You are under no obligation to hire us, and there is no cost unless we win your case. Our personal injury law firm is a proud, longtime supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
