Fresno, CA (May 2, 2026) – A 13-year-old boy died, and a 12-year-old was critically injured after a crash involving a truck on Friday night in Fresno. The collision occurred around 10:40 p.m. at the intersection of Bullard Avenue and Palm Avenue.
Emergency units arrived to find two juveniles who had been riding a motorized scooter. Authorities said the truck was traveling westbound on Bullard Avenue when it entered the intersection and struck the scooter.
The 13-year-old, identified as Dominiq Puentes, was taken to a hospital where he later died. The 12-year-old passenger was also transported and remained in critical condition as of Saturday morning.
Officials said the truck’s driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. No impairment from drugs or alcohol is suspected at this time.
The intersection was closed for several hours as crews worked at the scene. Additional details about what led to the crash have not been released.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash, and more details will be released as soon as they become available. We extend our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased.
How Scooter Crashes Involving Larger Vehicles Can Become Severe
Crashes involving scooters and larger vehicles can lead to serious, sometimes fatal outcomes due to the limited protection riders have compared to occupants of enclosed vehicles. Even at moderate speeds, the disparity in size and weight between a scooter and a car or truck means the impact force can cause severe injuries to riders, who have little more than a helmet and clothing between them and the road.
Intersections are among the most common locations for these incidents, where traffic converging from multiple directions creates a complex and fast-moving environment. Visibility, timing, and the speed and trajectory of each vehicle all play a role in determining how safely drivers and riders can navigate through these areas, and a failure in any one of these factors can result in a collision.
When a scooter carries more than one rider, the added weight can affect balance, handling, and braking distance, potentially reducing the operator’s ability to react quickly to sudden hazards. Investigators reviewing these crashes typically examine vehicle paths, estimated speeds, road conditions, and any available camera footage to piece together the sequence of events and identify the contributing factors that led to the collision.
