McKinley and Normal Avenues: Arrest Made in Hit-and-Run That Killed a Pedestrian Pushing a Cart
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA (September 13, 2026): A 78-year-old man was killed in a Fresno hit-and-run on the night of Sunday, September 13, 2026, while pushing a cart across McKinley Avenue near Normal Avenue, according to the Fresno Police Department. Nearly four weeks later, on Friday, October 9, detectives arrested a 30-year-old woman in connection with the crash, the department said, as reported by GV Wire and FOX26 (KMPH).
Officers responded at about 8:30 p.m. and found the man unresponsive in the roadway. Police, paramedics and firefighters tried to save him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators determined that he was crossing McKinley Avenue with a cart when a vehicle traveling westbound struck him, and that the driver did not stop, police said.
Detectives used an automated license plate reader to identify a possible suspect vehicle, according to the department. Officers later found that vehicle abandoned in a neighborhood northeast of the crash scene, covered with tarps that were held down with rocks taken from a neighboring home. Investigators said the vehicle had physical evidence and damage consistent with striking a pedestrian, and it was impounded.
Police arrested the woman at a home near East Lamona Avenue and North Bond Street. She was booked into the Fresno County Jail on suspicion of felony hit-and-run causing death, vehicular manslaughter and driving on a suspended license, the department said. She is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The Fresno Police Department has not released the name of the man who was killed, and it has not said whether the Fresno County District Attorney has filed charges or whether anyone else helped hide the vehicle.
Liability for Fresno Hit-and-Run Crashes
Under California Vehicle Code § 20001, a driver involved in a crash that injures or kills someone must stop, help and identify themselves, and leaving the scene of a fatal crash is a felony. Civil responsibility is a separate question. Under Civil Code § 1714, every driver generally owes others reasonable care, and Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 generally allows close family members to bring a wrongful death claim.
- Identifying the driver: The license plate reader search and the damage to the impounded vehicle are the kind of evidence that ties a vehicle to a crash, which matters in any civil claim as well as in the criminal case.
- Vehicle ownership: California law can generally make a vehicle owner responsible to a limited extent for a driver who uses the vehicle with permission, so who owned the car and who was driving are separate questions.
- Hiding the vehicle: Police said the car was covered with tarps after the crash. Conduct after a collision can be relevant when a court looks at the overall circumstances of a case.
- Insurance: When the at-fault driver is uninsured or has limited coverage, the family’s own auto policy may include uninsured motorist coverage that can apply to a pedestrian household member.
A criminal case and a civil claim move on different tracks. A wrongful death claim does not depend on the outcome of the criminal case, and it uses a lower standard of proof.
Steps to Take After a Fresno Hit-and-Run
Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable people on the road: NHTSA reports that more than 7,000 pedestrians are killed in traffic crashes in the United States each year, many of them at night. Families who lose someone in a hit-and-run can generally:
- Get the case numbers: Ask the Fresno Police Department for the collision report number and the name of the assigned detective.
- Request the coroner records: Next of kin can generally ask the Fresno County Coroner for the autopsy and death certificate.
- Check insurance policies: Review every auto policy in the household for uninsured motorist coverage and report the death to the insurer in writing.
- Keep a record: Save receipts, medical bills, funeral costs and notes of every call with police, the district attorney and insurers.
Deadlines matter. Wrongful death and personal injury claims in California are generally subject to the two-year limit in Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, and insurance policies often have their own notice requirements. Contact an attorney promptly to protect your rights.
Investigating the McKinley Avenue Hit-and-Run
We at Carrazco Law, A.P.C., a personal injury and civil rights law firm in Irvine, California, extend our condolences to the family and friends of the man who was killed on McKinley Avenue. Two questions remain open: who owned the vehicle that police impounded, and whether street lighting and crossing conditions at McKinley and Normal avenues were part of the investigation.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car, truck or pedestrian accident anywhere in California, our personal injury attorneys can help you understand your rights and legal options. Call us anytime at (800) 541-3244. Se Habla Español. Free consultation.
Published on October 14, 2026 by M.M., Carrazco Law, A.P.C. The incident described in this article occurred on September 13, 2026.
