County blames state for fatal crash

Madera County District 3 Supervisor Rick Farinelli has written a letter blaming mismanagement on the part of the California Transportation Commission for an accident that claimed three lives on State Route 99.

The deadly wreck occurred near the Ellis Street overcrossing when an RV carrying a man and a woman, in their 60s, crashed headlong into a northbound big rig driven by a man in his 40s, on the night of May 25. According to Officer Josh McConnell of the California Highway Patrol, the RV was making an unsafe lane change when it hit the truck. At this point, both vehicles veered off the road to the right, and struck a eucalyptus tree.

"Immediately following that collision, both vehicles burst into flames," McConnell said. "Neither the two occupants of the RV, or the driver of the big rig were able to escape their vehicles prior to suffering fatal injuries."

The truck was identified as belonging to Cardmoore Trucking, LP, from Central Point, Oregon. According to McConnell, it had been carrying a flatbed loaded with glass sheets ...