According to the California Highway Patrol, the incident occurred around 7:15 p.m. on Trimmer Springs Road near Lakeview Avenue, above Pine Flat Lake.
Fresno County, CA. – Authorities believe speed and alcohol played a role in a solo-car collision that killed 46-year-old Cristian Jaime and injured four others Saturday evening in Fresno County.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the incident occurred around 7:15 p.m. on Trimmer Springs Road near Lakeview Avenue, above Pine Flat Lake.
According to investigators, 40-year-old Luis Estanga of Fresno was driving a white full-sized GMC pickup truck south on Trimmer Springs Road at a high rate of speed with Jaime and three other passengers inside.
Estanga was unable to safely negotiate a sweeping right curve and the vehicle veered off the roadway and down a steep embankment, rolling multiple times before stopping against a tree.
Multiple local agencies responded to the scene and found the pickup truck about 200 feet down the embankment.
Firefighters used winches and ropes to reach the car and tools to cut through the truck's exterior to extricate the occupants. The firefighters also used gurneys to go back and forth up the embankment.
Jaime was pronounced dead at the scene.
The other three passengers were hospitalized with minor-to-moderate injuries.
Estanga was airlifted to a local hospital with extensive injuries. Authorities believe he was driving under the influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested and is expected to be booked into the Fresno County Jail once he is medically cleared. He faces felony DUI and vehicular manslaughters with gross negligence charges.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing.