FRESNO, Calif. — Martha Hernandez, 41, and her 9-year-old son Adrian Hernandez tragically lost their lives early Monday morning after their vehicle was struck by a suspected DUI driver and sent into a canal as they were returning home from a family Easter gathering in Madera.
Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto provided an update Monday afternoon, detailing the devastating sequence of events. According to authorities, Martha Hernandez had exited southbound Highway 41 at McKinley Avenue and was in the process of making a left turn near Fresno Street around 2 a.m. when a driver in a Honda Pilot allegedly ran a red light and violently broadsided her Dodge SUV.
The impact of the crash was severe, sending the SUV across multiple lanes of traffic, over a median, and into a nearby canal. Officials said the vehicle then drifted approximately 500 feet downstream before coming to a stop.
Emergency responders from the Fresno Fire Department quickly arrived on the scene, deploying multiple units including specialized water rescue teams. Firefighters were able to pull Martha Hernandez from the submerged vehicle and immediately began performing CPR. She was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition but later succumbed to her injuries.
The driver of the Honda Pilot fled the scene immediately following the crash and remained at large as of Monday afternoon.
Initially, authorities believed only one person had been inside the vehicle. However, while officers were at the hospital, concerned family members asked about Martha Hernandez’s young son, Adrian Hernandez, prompting an urgent secondary search effort.
Rescue crews returned to the scene and conducted a thorough search of the submerged SUV, but Adrian was not located inside the vehicle, even after it was removed from the canal. Drones were later deployed, and after an extensive search, the boy’s body was discovered approximately two miles downstream near the area of Ferger Avenue and Arroyo Street.
A witness provided additional insight into the crash, stating that her brother had seen the collision while driving to work. She said he reported the suspect vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed before impact, causing the SUV to veer off the roadway and into the canal. The witness also confirmed that dashcam footage of the incident was turned over to investigators.
Authorities continue to search for the driver responsible for the crash and are urging anyone with information to come forward. The Fresno Police Department has asked that anyone who may have details about the incident contact them at 559-621-7000.
The tragic loss of Martha and Adrian Hernandez has left their family and community devastated, as loved ones mourn a mother and son whose lives were taken far too soon in a senseless and preventable crash.
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