Three Reedley College students were killed in a car accident on Tuesday morning. Joseph Sarabia, David Trejo and Isiaih Vasquez were likely on their way to school when they hit another car outside Selma. It happened at South and McCall around 7am. A total of six people were injured.
Reedley College learned of the accident Tuesday afternoon. An administrator says other students want to plan an event to remember the lives of those lost.
Students on their way to school Tuesday morning, never made it to class. The CHP says the driver of a Saturn, David Trejo, was going too fast and ran a stop sign at South and McCall. He hit a Toyota in the intersection, killing himself, Joseph Sarabia and Isiaih Vasquez. All three were in their early 20's. Firefighters found a total of six victims pinned inside the two vehicles.
"In addition to complications involved with the pinned in victims, we also had both vehicles come to rest, one on a telephone pole, and the other out in a vineyard," said Chris Bump of Cal Fire.
It was a challenging and technical rescue. A young woman in the Saturn was critically injured. Two men in the Toyota were taken to the hospital with moderate to major injuries. A man harvesting raisins nearby says accidents here are not uncommon.
"It's sad and that is a bad intersection," said Bill Praetz, who was working in a vineyard.
After administrators at Reedley College learned of the tragedy, they said other students plan to somehow honor the students who died.
"The loss of such life, starting at the beginning of their educational process, is tragic and heartbreaking to the college and the community," said Interim Dean of Student Services, Sandra Fuentes.
CHP investigators are looking into whether there were any other contributing factors in the accident, other than speed and running the stop sign.
