Madera County, CA (October 9, 2025) — Two residents from El Nido were hospitalized with serious injuries early Wednesday morning following a violent two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Avenue 25 and Road 9, just northwest of Chowchilla.
According to the California Highway Patrol’s Madera Area office, the crash occurred around 4:37 a.m. when a 35-year-old man from Manteca, driving a gray 2020 Volvo with an enclosed trailer, failed to stop at a posted stop sign while traveling northbound on Road 9. As the Volvo entered the intersection, it crossed directly into the path of a gray Toyota Corolla heading east on Avenue 25.
The Toyota, driven by a 38-year-old woman from El Nido, collided with the side of the trailer and became trapped underneath it. Both the driver and her passenger, a 22-year-old El Nido man, sustained major injuries and were rushed to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno for treatment. The driver of the Volvo was uninjured.
Investigators say all parties were wearing seatbelts, and alcohol or drugs are not suspected to have played a role in the crash.
CHP officials used the incident to remind drivers that stop signs are more than a suggestion — they are critical to preventing tragedies like this one. “Always come to a complete stop, look both ways, and proceed only when it’s safe,” the agency emphasized.
The collision remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol’s Madera Area office.
