NORTH FORK – A collision on Auberry Road (Road 222) near Corrine Lake Road, about five miles east of North Fork, injured four and stopped traffic in both directions for over an hour this afternoon.
At 1:40 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25, Nicole Bratton, 28, of Clovis, was eastbound on Road 222 in a 1997 Chevy Z71 pickup. There were three children, ages 4, 6 and 8 also in the vehicle.
Bratton said she was distracted by the kids, and allowed her truck to cross over into the opposing lane on a tight curve, and smash nearly head-on into a 1996 Chevy pickup driven by Nancy Tex-Kipp, 72, of North Fork.
Kipp sustained minor injuries and Sierra Ambulance personnel assessed her condition and prepared her for transport. Bratton was bleeding from an apparent head wound, while two of the three juveniles suffered minor cuts to the face. All involved in the crash were transported by Sierra Ambulance to St. Agnes in Fresno.
North Fork Volunteer Fire Department Squad #11 responded to the scene, along with Cal Fire Engine #4275 and two CHP units.
Alcohol does not appear to have been a factor in the crash. Bratton’s driver’s license was suspended, and there was only one booster seat in the vehicle.
Those who drive this winding road know how dangerous it can be. There are at least three markers on this corner, commemorating the lives of those who have perished here, including this one from 2011.
