Young Woman Killed in DUI Crash in Madera County
By Accident.NEWS
Publish Date: July 10, 2023
The young woman died at the scene. The man was badly injured and later arrested for suspicion of DUI.
A tragic early morning crash in Madera County, California has resulted in the death of a young woman and the arrest of a man. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) believes that the man was driving under the influence at the time of the incident.
The collision occurred on Ellis Street near Fairview Street before dawn on Monday. Michael Messer, 38 years old, was driving his truck eastbound on Ellist street around 4 a.m., while a 20-year-old woman was traveling westbound to work. Messer, allegedly driving in the wrong direction, collided head-on with the woman's Chevy Malibu.
Tragically, the young woman lost her life at the scene of the accident. Messer sustained severe injuries as he was not wearing a seatbelt during impact. He was transported to a Fresno hospital for treatment and subsequently placed under arrest on suspicion of DUI.
Authorities discovered containers and drug paraphernalia inside Messer's vehicle, indicating potential substance use. This is not Messer's first encounter with law enforcement regarding impaired driving incidents. In 2018, he faced an arrest for DUI and received three years' probation after pleading no contest. Last year, he faced another DUI charge resulting in his license being revoked during court proceedings. However, he failed to appear for a scheduled hearing which led to an arrest warrant being issued against him.
Officer Javier Ruvalcaba from CHP emphasized that tragedies like this are entirely preventable: "There is no reason to get behind the wheel and cause a tragedy such as this morning; it's just uncalled for and unnecessary."
Officer Ruvalcaba warned that law enforcement is actively enforcing DUI laws in the area: "Getting behind the wheel, drinking and driving, the likelihood of you getting arrested is high especially if you're in Madera because we're out there proactively enforcing the laws."
The identity of the young woman who lost her life in this tragic incident has not been released at this time.
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Incident at a Glance
- Parties Involved:
- unidentified
- Vehicles:
- truck, Chevy Malibu
- Fatality:
- YES
- State:
- California
- City:
- Madera County
- Location:
- Ellis Street near Fairview Street, Madera County, California
- Date of Incident:
- 2023-07-10
- Time of Incident:
- 4 a.m.
Ellis Street near Fairview Street, Madera County, California
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