COARSEGOLD – Two employees of Community Regional Medical Center (CRMC) in Fresno were involved in a head-on collision near Yosemite Springs Parkway early Easter Sunday morning.
At 6:25 a.m. on Mar. 31, Kimberly Moore, 46, of Coarsegold, was southbound on Highway 41 in a 2011 Chevy Equinox, headed to her job as an ER nurse at CRMC.Anette Poplarchick, 41, of Oakhurst, had just finished her shift as a security officer at the same hospital, and was on her way home, northbound in a 2003 Kia Sedona.
Just north of the YLP turnoff, Poplarchick, for unknown reasons, allowed her vehicle to drift into the southbound lane, where she collided head-on with Moore, at what CHP estimates to be about 55 mph.
Both women were trapped in their vehicles.
Three Madera County Sheriff deputies had completed their shifts and were each on their way home when they came upon the accident. Deputies Cuthbert, Hernandez and Jackson all stopped and offered comfort and care to the two women while first responders were on their way to the scene.
The Jaws of Life had to be used on both vehicles to free the drivers, who were airlifted to CRMC with various injuries and broken bones.
According to the CHP, the two vehicles collided directly head-on, and with the terrific force of the crash, the fairly moderate nature of the injuries is a testament to the design of today’s cars and the airbags.
The highway was closed for about 30 minutes while the drivers were freed from the vehicles and the scene was cleared.
