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Suspected DUI Crash in Madera County Kills Elderly Couple and Shuts Down Highway 41
Frank Penney • May 30, 2025
A devastating crash
on Highway 41 in Madera County has left two people dead and another facing serious DUI charges. Authorities have identified the driver involved as 42-year-old Felipe Angel Ramirez of Coarsegold. According to the California Highway Patrol, Ramirez was behind the wheel of a white Chevy work truck that lost control around 4 p.m. Tuesday near Van Teri Road.
The incident unfolded in a matter of moments but had tragic and far-reaching consequences. Investigators say the truck first clipped a black SUV, forcing it to swerve, before crashing head-on into a Ford Bronco. The impact killed both occupants of the Bronco—78-year-old Kirk McCarty and 76-year-old Valerie McCarty, also of Coarsegold.
Eyewitness Travis Miller, who owns an auto shop along the highway, had been watching the situation unfold. He saw the white truck swerving dangerously and immediately sensed something was wrong. “I saw him swerve and overcorrect off the road,” Miller said. He tried to intervene, following the vehicle and urging the driver to stop. The driver reportedly blamed his erratic behavior on his cell phone and GPS.
The truck briefly stopped in a Dollar General parking lot, but Ramirez returned to the road shortly after. Just over a mile later, the vehicle veered into oncoming traffic, colliding with the Bronco and then rolling over the SUV driven by a 17-year-old girl. Fortunately, the teen saw the truck coming and managed to steer into the northbound lane to avoid the worst of the crash. Her car was totaled, but she survived. The emotional toll on her family has been immense—especially for her stepfather, a local tow truck driver who frequently responds to crash scenes, but never imagined his daughter would be in one.
Ramirez remains hospitalized with injuries but is expected to survive. Authorities say he could face multiple charges, including DUI. Action News also confirmed that Ramirez has a prior DUI conviction in North Dakota, raising serious questions about how he ended up behind the wheel again.
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Frank Penney Injury Lawyers does not represent any of the parties mentioned above. Nevertheless, we sympathize with the victim and their families in this time of crisis.
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