RAYMOND – Two people are dead after being hit by a pickup while fighting in the middle of Road 400 south of Hensley Lake last night.
At about 9 p.m., Rickey Holt, 39, of Madera, was driving a 2001 Dodge Neon northbound on Road 400, just south of Road 406, when passengers Dean Cram, 37, of Raymond, and Lucille Trolinger, 36, of Madera, became involved in a verbal altercation, according to CHP.
Holt stopped the car in the northbound lane and Cram and Trolinger got out and continued to argue in the middle of the road.
Holt also got out of the car and attempted to intervene, at which time Cram punched him in the eye with a closed fist. Holt struck back, knocking Cram to the ground. Ms. Trolinger then jumped on Mr. Cram in an effort to keep him on the ground and end the fight, say investigators.
As this was happening, a 68-year-old man from Fresno was driving his 2004 Toyota pickup southbound on Road 400, approaching the parties in the roadway.
Due to the lack of lighting and the blinding effect of the Dodge’s headlights, the man in the Toyota was unable to see Cram and Trolinger in the traffic lane ahead of him, and the pickup struck both parties. The driver stopped and waited for emergency personnel to arrive.
CHP officers at the scene performed CPR until EMS and Fire personnel arrived, however both victims succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene.
As a result of the investigation, Holt was determined to be driving while under the influence of alcohol prior to the collision which resulted in the deaths of Mr. Cram and Ms. Trolinger and was arrested for DUI.
The driver of the truck that hit the victims was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and was released from the scene.
