UPDATE: Mother, child killed in suspected DUI crash into canal identified
A woman and a child drowned in a Fresno canal early Monday after their vehicle crashed into the water following a suspected hit-and-run collision.
In an update Monday morning, police confirmed a second victim, approximately 9 years old, had been found in the canal about two miles from the initial scene.
The first victim, a woman, was found shortly after officers responded to East McKinley Avenue and Fresno Street around 2 a.m.
When they arrived, they found an unoccupied vehicle in the middle of McKinley. It’s suspected of being involved in the crash, Fresno Police Lt. Michael Pierce said.
A second vehicle was discovered in the canal on the south side of McKinley.
Crews from the Fresno Fire Department responded with multiple units, including water rescue teams. They pulled a woman from the submerged vehicle and immediately began CPR, Pierce said.
She was taken to a hospital in severely critical condition but later died, police confirmed Monday morning.
Pierce said the Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating the incident and the area was closed to traffic.
Fresno Fire Chief Billy Alcorn said they were notified that a child was with the driver. Alcorn said his swim and dive team started south and worked their way north where they found the child in the canal near H Street and Palm Avenue.
A woman who spoke to The Bee said her brother was driving to work at the time of the crash.
According to her, her brother reported that the suspect vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed, causing the victim to veer off the roadway and into the canal. He provided dashcam footage to investigators.
The woman picked up her brother since his vehicle was in the scene.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Fresno police at 559-621-7000.