Tulare County, CA – According to KSEE, a wrong-way collision in the early hours of Wednesday, April 26, 2024, resulted in the death of 21-year-old Lisandro Santos of Porterville and arrest of 20-year-old Saul Saldana Armenta of Fresno on suspicion of DUI.
Around 3:10 AM, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) received reports of a wrong-way driver in the vicinity of Highway 99 north of Betty Drive in Tulare County. Officers from the Visalia Area swiftly responded to the scene and discovered a two-vehicle collision between the wrong-way driver and a second vehicle.
The driver, identified as Saul Saldana Armenta, a 20-year-old Fresno resident, was operating a 2015 Dodge Charger southbound in the northbound lanes of Highway 99, heading towards Betty Drive. Tragically, his vehicle collided with a 2022 Honda Civic driven by a 21-year-old man from Porterville, identified as Lisandro Santos.
Santos sustained fatal injuries in the collision. A GoFundMe campaign established in his memory revealed that Santos passed away just days before his 22nd birthday.
The CHP has indicated that alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the crash, as Armenta was arrested under suspicion of driving under the influence. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing as authorities work to understand the full circumstances surrounding the tragic collision.
Wrongful Death Claims
Even in cases where criminal charges are not brought to bear, families who have lost a loved one in a fatal collision may be able to file a wrongful death claim with the insurance provider of the at-fault driver.
The compensation provided by a wrongful death claim can relieve the financial burdens created by medical expenses, burial costs, and the loss of income to support any dependents of the deceased.
Insurance companies will work to reduce any claim they cannot deny, which is where the help of a knowledgeable personal injury attorney can prove invaluable by negotiating on behalf of victims and their families to ensure they receive proper compensation.
