Officials say four occupants were ejected when the Honda CR-V rolled at Avenue 13 and Road 23.
MADERA COUNTY, CA — Two people were killed and three others were seriously injured late Wednesday morning when a Honda CR-V collided with a semitrailer at a rural intersection southwest of Madera, the California Highway Patrol said. The crash happened just before 11 a.m. at Avenue 13 and Road 23, a crossroads lined by farms and canals.
Authorities say the SUV was traveling west on Avenue 13 and entered the intersection, striking the side of the big rig’s trailer. The impact sent the Honda off the roadway, where it overturned. Four of the five people inside the SUV were thrown from the vehicle. Two were pronounced dead at the scene. Three survivors were taken to area hospitals with major injuries. The truck driver, identified at the scene as a 47-year-old man from Lodi, was not hurt. Investigators are examining whether alcohol or drugs played a role and whether weather or visibility factored into the crash on the final morning of the year.
CHP officials said the big rig had the right of way through the intersection, which has a stop sign for Avenue 13 traffic but no stop for vehicles traveling on Road 23. “The crash remains under investigation,” the California Highway Patrol said. Officers said the Honda broadsided the trailer before veering to the shoulder and rolling. Three men and a woman in the SUV were ejected; two of those ejected died at the scene. The fifth occupant, who was not ejected, also suffered major injuries, officers said. Names and ages of the victims were not released pending notification of family members. Road 23 just north of Avenue 13 was closed for several hours while crews cleared debris and investigators mapped the scene.
First responders from CHP’s Madera office, Madera County Fire, and EMS converged on the intersection within minutes of the 10:50 a.m. call. The SUV sustained heavy damage on the passenger side and roof, consistent with an underride and rollover, investigators at the scene said. Troopers took measurements across the intersection and examined long scrape marks on the pavement and dirt shoulder where the Honda left the roadway. The semitrailer stopped along the southbound lane of Road 23; its driver cooperated with officers and was evaluated at the scene. Weather conditions at midday were overcast with showers in parts of the San Joaquin Valley; CHP said it is not yet clear whether slick pavement or limited sightlines across orchards affected stopping distance.
Wednesday’s crash occurred on a grid of two-lane county roads that carry farmworkers, school traffic, and heavy trucks between Highway 99 and rural communities. Avenue 13 and Road 23 form a mix of stop- and uncontrolled approaches across several miles, a pattern common in the county’s agricultural belt. In recent years, deadly collisions have drawn attention to rural intersections where high speeds meet cross traffic and limited shoulder room. CHP periodically stages enforcement details on county roads during harvest and holiday periods, when traffic volumes jump and visibility can vary with Tule fog and winter storms. Officials again stressed that seat belt use and full stops at posted signs are critical on these corridors. Whether all five occupants of the Honda were belted has not been confirmed.
Investigators will review vehicle data modules, skid measurements, and any available dash or security camera recordings from passing drivers or nearby farms. Toxicology screening is routine in fatal crashes and could take several weeks. The Madera County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office will identify the two people who died after notifying next of kin. CHP said a preliminary report will be filed in the coming days, followed by a full collision report when lab results and reconstruction work are complete. If investigators confirm a stop-sign violation by the SUV, the report will note that as the primary collision factor. No criminal charges were announced Wednesday; any filing decisions would come later and depend on findings.
Neighbors described the intersection as busy around midday as trucks move produce and supplies. Farmworkers paused along the shoulder as deputies placed yellow markers and draped tarps near the crumpled SUV. A tow operator winched the vehicle upright while firefighters swept glass and plastic from the asphalt. “It’s a fast stretch, and you have to be careful crossing,” said a resident who lives along Avenue 13 and watched traffic back up as Road 23 remained blocked. A CHP supervisor at the scene said investigators would return to take daylight photographs and diagram the intersection once the roadway reopened.
By Wednesday evening, the roadway was cleared and traffic was flowing again. CHP said additional updates will come after the coroner releases the victims’ names and investigators complete initial interviews with the truck driver and surviving passengers. The next formal update is expected after preliminary findings are filed in the first week of January.
Author note: Last updated January 1, 2026.