A two-car accident on Hwy. 41 claims the life of a 24-year-old male.
MADERA – On March 14, 2022, at approximately 12:30 p.m., the Merced Communication Center (MCC) received a call of a traffic collision on State Route 41, north of Road 406, with medical personnel responding.
Officers from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Madera Area responded to the scene and investigated the crash.
During the initial investigation it was determined a 24-year-old male from Fresno (name withheld pending notification of next of kin by the Madera County Coroner’s Office) was driving a 2002 Toyota Tacoma on SR-41 southbound north of Road 406 approaching a slight right curve in the roadway, at an undetermined speed. At the same time Kimberly Sciaqua was driving a 2016 Nissan Altima on SR-41 northbound, at approximately 55 miles per hour, approaching the Toyota’s location.
For an undetermined reason, the male driver made an unsafe turning movement to the right and allowed the Toyota to go off the west roadway edge of SR-41. The Toyota hit the dirt/rock embankment and overturned onto its driver side. The Toyota continued in a southerly direction, while it rotated in a clockwise direction and crossed into the northbound lane of SR-41 directly into the path of the Nissan.
Ms. Sciaqua applied the brakes of the Nissan but was unable to avoid the crash and the front of the Nissan hit the roof of the Toyota. The Toyota came to rest on its right side, facing in a southwesterly direction against the front of the Nissan within the northbound and southbound lanes of SR-41. The Nissan came to rest on its wheels, facing in a northerly direction in the northbound lane of SR-41.
As a result of the crash, the male driver of the Toyota sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.
Ms. Sciaqua was not injured in the crash. Both directions of SR-41 were blocked as a result of the crash and SR-41 remained closed for approximately 2 hours for investigation and clean up.
Alcohol and or drugs do not appear to have been a contributing factor in this crash. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts at the time of this crash.
This crash remains under investigation.
Anyone with information or questions regarding this crash are asked to contact the CHP Madera Area Public Information Officer Javier Ruvalcaba at 559-675-1025.
