Four Merced County Residents, Including a 13-Year-Old Boy, Identified in Madera County Crash

A father and his 13-year-old son were among four people identified after a serious two-vehicle collision at a rural Madera County intersection Wednesday night.

Authorities have identified the four people who lost their lives in a two-vehicle collision in Madera County, California, on the evening of Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The victims were identified as 42-year-old Pedro Chávez García, his 13-year-old son Pedro Chávez, 36-year-old Gerardo Ramírez Aguilar, and 52-year-old Cayetano Beyza Mendoza. All four were from Merced County. (Latency)

The collision happened shortly after 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of Road 9 and Avenue 21, an area where traffic on Avenue 21 is controlled by stop signs while Road 9 does not have stop signs for northbound or southbound traffic. According to preliminary information released by the California Highway Patrol, the circumstances surrounding the crash are still being examined.

The incident has drawn particular attention because one of the victims was only 13 years old and because a father and son were among those inside the Honda CR-V.

What investigators say happened

According to the preliminary investigation, a black 2015 GMC Sierra pickup truck was traveling eastbound on Avenue 21 toward Road 9. Two people were inside the pickup.

At approximately the same time, a white 2022 Honda CR-V carrying five occupants was traveling northbound on Road 9 toward Avenue 21.

Investigators said the GMC approached the intersection where eastbound and westbound traffic on Avenue 21 is required to stop. The Honda, traveling along Road 9, did not have a corresponding stop sign.

As the Honda entered the intersection, authorities determined that the GMC failed to stop at the posted stop sign. The pickup continued into the intersection and entered the Honda’s path.

The front of the GMC then struck the left side of the Honda, causing major damage to the SUV. Four of the five people inside the Honda died at the scene, according to authorities and local reporting. (Gold Rush Cam)

The four victims were subsequently identified as Pedro Chávez García, his son Pedro Chávez, Gerardo Ramírez Aguilar and Cayetano Beyza Mendoza.

Father and son among those identified

The identification of Pedro Chávez García and his 13-year-old son, Pedro Chávez, has added an especially painful dimension to the tragedy.

According to reporting from ABC30 Fresno, the teenager attended Weaver Middle School. The father and son were both from Merced County and were traveling with the other occupants of the Honda when the collision occurred. (AOL.com)

The other two victims were identified as Gerardo Ramírez Aguilar, 36, and Cayetano Beyza Mendoza, 52. Local reporting confirmed that all four victims were residents of Merced County. (Los Banos Enterprise)

Authorities have not released extensive information about the relationships between all five occupants of the Honda, and officials have continued to limit their public statements while the investigation remains active.

Questions remain about the surviving occupants

The Honda was carrying five people, meaning one person survived the initial collision. The condition of that surviving passenger has not been fully detailed in the preliminary reports.

There were also two occupants inside the GMC Sierra.

Early reports did not provide complete information about the condition of everyone who survived the collision. ABC30 reported that the occupants of the GMC had minor injuries, while other reports said that additional details had not yet been released. (AOL.com)

Because the investigation is still underway, authorities have not released a complete account of the injuries sustained by the surviving individuals.

Investigation continues

The California Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the circumstances of the collision.

One of the major unanswered questions is whether drugs or alcohol played any role. Authorities have stated that it is currently unknown whether either substance was a factor in the crash. No conclusion about impairment has been announced. (Latency)

Investigators are expected to examine the vehicles, the intersection, the posted traffic controls, witness information and other available evidence as they work to establish the complete sequence of events.

At this stage, the preliminary investigation indicates that the GMC failed to stop at the posted stop sign before entering the intersection. However, the ongoing investigation will determine whether additional circumstances contributed to the collision.

Authorities have also emphasized an important safety message following the incident: motorists should exercise particular caution when approaching intersections and carefully observe posted traffic controls. (Gold Rush Cam)

A tragedy affecting two California counties

Although the collision occurred in Madera County, all four identified victims were from Merced County, making the tragedy particularly significant for communities beyond the crash location.

The rural intersection of Road 9 and Avenue 21 became the scene of a devastating collision Wednesday evening. Within a matter of moments, four lives were lost, including that of a teenager.

The investigation is now focused on establishing precisely what happened before the vehicles entered the intersection and why the GMC did not stop at the posted sign.

For the families of Pedro Chávez García, Pedro Chávez, Gerardo Ramírez Aguilar and Cayetano Beyza Mendoza, however, the investigation is only one part of what lies ahead. They are now facing the difficult process of grieving four members of their community while waiting for authorities to provide more answers.

As of the latest reports, no final determination has been made regarding whether drugs or alcohol contributed to the collision, and the case remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

The crash is a reminder of how quickly a routine journey can become a devastating event, particularly at intersections where vehicles traveling on different roads have different traffic-control requirements.

Authorities have urged drivers to remain alert, obey posted signs and approach intersections carefully. Further information may be released as investigators continue working to reconstruct the circumstances of the September 2 collision.

Foreign / U.S. sources

• ABC30 Fresno — 1 Teen, 3 Adults Killed Following Two-Vehicle Crash
• Los Banos Enterprise — Four Merced County Residents Identified
• News Talk 580 & 105.9 KMJ — Madera County Crash Report
• Sierra Sun Times — Madera County Crash Details

This article is based on preliminary information released by the California Highway Patrol and reporting published by U.S. news outlets. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details may change as authorities release further information.