Four Killed in Madera County Intersection Crash

MADERA COUNTY, CA – Four people died Wednesday night when a pickup truck entered a rural intersection without stopping and struck the side of an SUV, according to the California Highway Patrol. A 13-year-old boy was among the dead, and a fifth person in the SUV survived with serious injuries. 

The collision was reported shortly before 8:40 p.m. at Road 9 and Avenue 21. CHP investigators said a black 2015 GMC Sierra carrying two people was traveling east on Avenue 21 as a white 2022 Honda CR-V carrying five people approached from the south on Road 9. 

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Pedro Chavez Garcia and Son Killed 

Eastbound and westbound drivers on Avenue 21 must stop at the intersection, while Road 9 traffic continues without stop signs. The preliminary investigation found that the GMC driver failed to stop and entered the Honda’s path. The front of the pickup struck the left side of the SUV, causing major damage. 

Four occupants of the Honda died. Authorities identified them as Pedro Chavez Garcia, 42; his 13-year-old son, Pedro Chavez; Gerardo Ramirez Aguilar, 36; and Cayetano Beyza-Mendoza, 52. All four lived in Merced County. 

Relatives said the Honda’s driver was Chavez Garcia’s uncle and the vehicle’s only survivor. He was flown from the crash scene and remained hospitalized Friday. Family members said he had broken ribs and an injured hand, and that the crash knocked out several of his teeth. 

Father and Son Returning From Hunting Trip 

Chavez Garcia and his son, whom relatives called Pedrito, had been returning from their first dove-hunting trip of the season. When they did not arrive home, family members used their phone locations to find them and reached the crash scene. The family said the birds from the hunting trip were still with them when relatives arrived. 

Relatives remembered the younger Pedro as an eighth grader who loved music, singing, and playing guitar. He was weeks from his 14th birthday and planned to return to soccer with his cousins. His father was one of 14 children, and relatives described his Merced home as a regular gathering place for family celebrations. 

CHP said everyone in both vehicles was wearing a seat belt. Investigators had not determined whether drugs or alcohol contributed to the collision, and the agency had not released additional information about the two people in the GMC. The investigation remained open through Friday as the family prepared funeral arrangements for the four people killed.