Shandon, CA — Authorities have identified 24-year-old Rosalinda Bucio from Cutler, 27-year-old Francisco J. Polinasainz from Reedley, and 32-year-old Yvette Guzman from Sanger, as the Central Valley residents who lost their lives in a multi-vehicle crash late Sunday, July 28, 2024, according to The San Luis Obispo Tribune.
The devastating wrong-way crash occurred around 10:28 PM on Highway 46 East near Shandon when Saundra Foutz, 30, from Paso Robles, was driving a 2021 Mercedes westbound in the eastbound lanes of Highway 46. Foutz’s vehicle collided head-on with a 2022 Honda carrying four individuals from the Central Valley. The force of the collision caused a second eastbound vehicle, a 2015 Honda, to crash into the initial wreckage.
The driver of the first Honda, 24-year-old Rosalinda Bucio from Cutler, along with passengers Francisco J. Polinasainz, 27, from Reedley, and Yvette Guzman, 32, from Sanger, sustained fatal injuries. They were transported to the county Coroner’s Office following the collision.
Carlos Quinonez, 28, from Orange Cove, a passenger in the same Honda, suffered severe injuries. He was promptly taken to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment. Saundra Foutz also sustained major injuries and was airlifted to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno for surgery.
The driver of the third vehicle involved, 38-year-old Jess Lopez from Bakersfield, sustained minor injuries and did not require hospitalization.
Wrongful Death Claims
Establishing fault in a collision can depend on multiple factors. One crucial way a personal injury attorney can assist grieving families is by determining legal liability after the loss of a loved one in a traffic accident.
If another party is found to hold some responsibility for the death, the family may be eligible to file a Wrongful Death claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance provider. This claim can provide compensation to help cover hospital fees, burial costs, and the loss of support for the deceased’s dependents.
