Dangerous intersection? Neighbors complain after deadly collision (again)

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two families are making funeral arrangements this week after a deadly crash in Fresno County over the weekend.

A lot of random car pieces litter the fields at all four corners of the intersection of North and De Wolf Ave.

Most are not from this weekend's collision, and neighbors say crashes are all too common at the intersection.

A holiday-themed memorial is a reminder that Ayla Gonzales' family members will always remember her little voice, accompanied by a big smile and a huge heart, especially for cats.

Gonzales and her boyfriend, Ray Rodarte, died Saturday afternoon when a big rig smashed into their Nissan Altima a few feet from where people later left the stockings, signs, and candles to remember the two 24-year-olds.

CHP officers say the Freightliner truck had the right of way on North and Rodarte stopped on De Wolf.

"For unknown reasons, the driver of the Altima edged out into the intersection and then right in front of the Freightliner truck," said CHP Sgt. Christopher Swanberg.

"There's just been many accidents at this intersection," said neighbor Steve Bedoian.

He and other neighbors blame the intersection itself. They point to car pieces scattered everywhere as proof of its dangers.

Another driver died in a collision at the same intersection last year.

Traffic on De Wolf has a stop sign, but Bedoian said visibility is extremely limited even at the stop sign, so we checked it out.

"I can't see either way," an Action News reporter noted. "If that car wasn't parked there, I'd be able to see. But somebody's parked there. I have no idea what's coming from that direction. And I look this direction and there's definitely an obstructed view."

Neighbors say they've asked the county to do something to make the intersection safer, but so far nothing has changed.

"A four-way stop would be great," Bedoian said. "That would really make a big difference, I think, because everybody has to stop."

County public works officials have not yet gotten back to us about how they've responded to complaints from neighbors or what it would take to get a four-way stop installed.