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Nine people, including seven aged 6 to 15, were killed in a violent head-on collision between an SUV and a pickup truck in Fresno County, Calif., On Friday, authorities said.
Officials did not release the names of the victims and the California Highway Patrol said it was working with the Fresno County coroner’s office to determine whether alcohol or drugs may have played a role in the crash.
The collision occurred at approximately 8 p.m. local time on State Route 33 near the Fresno County-Kings County line when the SUV, a 2013 Dodge Journey driven by a 28-year-old man from Avenal, Calif. , was traveling southbound at an unknown speed, the highway patrol said.
As the driver approached a 2007 Ford F-150 pickup truck that was moving in the opposite direction, it veered onto the dirt shoulder, lost control and backed up to the center line, slamming head-on in the van, said the highway patrol.
The van, which was driven by a woman, became “completely engulfed in flames” and all eight occupants were killed, officials said.
Among those killed were seven people aged 6 to 15, said Tony Botti, spokesperson for the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
The driver of the SUV was also killed, Captain Kevin Clays of the California Highway Patrol told a press conference.
The pickup was fitted with just six seat belts, Captain Clays said.
He noted that when people are not strapped in, the chances of sustaining serious injuries in an accident are “much greater”. He said officers who responded to the collision had received advice.
“It’s tragic for the community,” he said. “It’s tragic for our officers responding to these incidents.”
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