5 Killed, 3 Injured as 18-Wheeler Rams Van
Five people were killed and three others injured in Buttonwillow early Monday when a tractor-trailer plowed into the rear of their van, which burst into flames, the California Highway Patrol said.
Two of the surviving passengers, identified as Moricio Reyes, 25, and Oscar Reyes Alexis, 21, both of Los Angeles, were flown to the burn unit at University Medical Center in Fresno, where they were listed in critical condition. A hospital spokeswoman said Reyes was burned over almost half of his body; Alexis was being treated for smoke inhalation.
The van’s driver, Rodrigo Reyes, 18, of Los Angeles, suffered moderate injuries in the 2 a.m. accident, California Highway Patrol spokeswoman Stacey Campbell said. He was taken 100 miles by ambulance to the burn center, where he was listed in serious condition with burns over 15% of his body.
The truck driver, Pio Rivera, 48, of Stockton, had minor injuries, authorities said.
The names of the dead victims, identified by Kern County coroner’s officials as three men and two women, had not been determined.
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