Farmworkers killed in Kerman crash remembered a year later

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - It's been 1 twelvemonth since eight men, 7 of whom were workplace workers, were killed in a head-on collision successful Madera County. The clang happened adjacent Avenue 7 and Road 22.

CHP Madera Spokesperson Sergio Moreno says the probe is inactive nether reappraisal but is expected to beryllium released wrong the adjacent week. He adds that investigations, particularly of this quality and seriousness, tin instrumentality astir a twelvemonth to complete.

On February 24, 2024, Avenue 7 adjacent Kerman was a country of heartbreak and chaos. Ambulances and archetypal responders rushed to the site, portion distraught household members gathered, hopeless for answers. 

Around 6 a.m., a motortruck collided with a van carrying workplace workers, leaving the beforehand of the van wholly smashed in. While the probe is ongoing, CHP believes the truck crossed the halfway line. The motortruck operator and 7 of the 8 workplace workers died. The workers were headed to Lion Farms successful Firebaugh.

"The assemblage decidedly went done the grief together, it was decidedly an affectional toll connected all," said Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco.

On Monday, the clang tract served arsenic a touching reminder of the 8 lives lost. Crosses of each sizes stand, surrounded by candles, flowers, and balloons. A tiny thenar histrion sits astatine the end, symbolizing caller beingness successful a spot marked by specified heavy loss.

"I cognize that their families went through, went done a batch aft they had passed. I cognize of a household that was evicted from their spot of living. It's precise hard erstwhile you suffer the caput of the household," Pacheco shared.

Through specified a traumatic event, Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco recalls however rapidly the assemblage agreed to support the families during a clip of large need.

 "We collectively, we got unneurotic and we advocated and raised wealth and we were capable to get each 7 of them backmost location to Mexico," she added.

Following the crash, CHP reported that lone 2 of the 8 workplace workers were wearing seatbelts. We volition proceed to travel this incidental and stock the findings arsenic soon arsenic the authoritative study is released.