[04-13-2023] Butte County, CA – Two People Killed After Fiery High-Speed Big Rig Collision in North Chico

Two people were killed after a fiery high-speed big rig collision in North Chico, Thursday morning, April 13, 2023.

According to the Chico Police Department, the collision between the Chevrolet Corvette and the semi-trailer occurred around 3:35 a.m. at the Chevron gas station at Eaton Road and Esplanade.

According to authorities, the driver, 21-year-old Tanner R., passed away at the scene, and the passenger, 19-year-old Eduardo M., was air-lifted to U.C. Davis. He was later pronounced dead.

The big rig was carrying logs when struck by the sports car. The CPD reported that the sports car driver was traveling north on Esplanade when it crashed into the big rig turning left onto Eaton Road.

Police estimate Russell to be traveling between 80 and 100 mph at the time it crashed on the semi-truck based on surveillance footage. However, a Snapchat photo shared by Medina a few hours before the collision showed the car’s speedometer reaching over 130 mph.

The burning debris skidded across the Chevron/PDQ gas station on the intersection’s northeast corner. There was a lot of debris on the road and near the gas pumps. The burning car could have caused an explosion as it was close to the gas pumps.

The big rig’s driver had no injuries. No information was released on their identity.

During their morning commute on Thursday, drivers were advised to stay away from the area. The road was reopened at 10 a.m.

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What to Do After a Big Rig Accident

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• Call 911 immediately.
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Fatal Big Rig Accident Statistics

In an accident, truck drivers and passengers are more secure than those in cars or other small vehicles. Statistics show that passengers in smaller vehicles are more likely to suffer serious injuries or even die in a collision. One collision involving a big rig or truck can be extremely dangerous.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 4,965 people died in heavy vehicle accidents in the US in 2020. In 2019, a record of 5,032 fatalities was reported; however, in 2020, there was a decrease of 5%. Trucks are accountable for 71% of fatal car accidents in the US.

In 2020, large trucks accounted for 8.9% of all vehicles involved in fatal collisions in the US. In 2015, truck-car collisions killed at least 90 people in California. Texas and Florida were the only other states with at least 50 truck-related deaths in the same year.