Tuesday, 28 July 2026, 19:04
Just before 2 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, 2026, a tragic collision on State Route 152 near Road 14½ in Madera County killed a Fresno mother and her teenage daughter. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) Madera office responded to the scene, where a 50-year-old woman driving a black Honda Clarity crashed into the rear of a slow-moving Freightliner tractor-trailer.
The big rig, driven by a 32-year-old Fresno man, was eastbound in the number 2 lane at approximately 10-15 mph. He had activated his emergency hazard lights because the truck was experiencing engine difficulties. The Honda, also eastbound in the same lane, struck the rear of the trailer with such force that it became wedged underneath. The truck driver continued onto the right shoulder, unaware the car was trapped, and only stopped after realizing the severity of the impact.
Emergency personnel arrived quickly, but both the driver and her 17-year-old daughter, who was in the front passenger seat, were pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was not injured. CHP confirmed all parties were wearing seat belts.
The victims have been identified as a Fresno woman and her teenage daughter, according to CHP. The crash occurred on Highway 152 near Road 14½, south of Chowchilla.
Debris from the crash still litters the stretch of Highway 152 near Road 14½, as seen in a Facebook post from July 20.
SR-152 is a major east-west corridor connecting the Central Valley to the coastal regions, often used by agricultural trucks. Madera County, located in the San Joaquin Valley, has seen multiple fatal crashes on this highway in recent years. The stretch near Road 14½ is rural and unlit, which may have contributed to the driver's failure to see the slow-moving truck.
This incident echoes other rear-end collisions involving slow-moving vehicles on California highways. In 2025, a similar crash on I-5 in Kern County killed two people when a car hit a disabled truck. CHP data shows that rear-end collisions account for about 30% of all crashes in the state, often due to driver inattention or reduced visibility at night.
The CHP continues to investigate, with toxicology results pending to rule out impairment. This heartbreaking event underscores the importance of vigilance, especially at night, and the need for drivers to watch for slow-moving vehicles with hazard lights. Our condolences go out to the families affected.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to help pay for funeral expenses. Those who wish to contribute can find the link in the sources below.
