Calif. wrong-way crash results in death of off-duty officer

It does not matter who one is, what one’s profession is or whether or not one is on duty; everyone on the road is vulnerable to injury or death due to a car accident. On Monday evening last week, a law enforcement officer in Fresno, California, lost his life while driving home from work in his personal automobile when another vehicle going the wrong way on Highway 180 struck his in a head-on collision. The driver of the other vehicle also died of injuries sustained in the crash despite the fact that both were wearing seatbelts at the time.

An investigation is still ongoing to discover the cause of the crash, and authorities have not ruled out alcohol or drugs as a factor. The officer’s automobile was actually the sixth vehicle that the other driver, a 33-year-old man from Fresno, struck as he drove the wrong way on Highway 180 between Smith Avenue and DeWolf Avenue. Occupants of the other five vehicles received treatment for injuries that were not life-threatening. No information is available as to how many people the accident involved altogether or about the current conditions of the survivors.

As authorities took measurements to try to piece together the moments leading up to the deadly collision, the investigation caused detours that affected drivers for several hours thereafter. The area in which the crash occurred is a dangerous stretch of highway that saw more than 40 crashes in 2018 alone.

The officer leaves behind a wife, a daughter and three sons. Families similarly torn apart by car crashes may deem it a good idea to speak with a skilled car accident attorney.