Tulare County, CA (April 26, 2024) A tragic accident in Tulare County claimed the life of 21-year-old Lisandro Santos on Wednesday, April 24th. The Porterville resident was fatally injured on Highway 99, not far from Betty Drive. In the blink of an eye, Santos was killed by a wrong-way driver, according to police reports.
Santos was driving north on Highway 99 in a 2022 Honda Civic just after 3:00 a.m. Suddenly, headlights appeared in front of him. 20-year-old Saul Saldana Armenta, from Fresno, was heading south in the northbound lane. Santos had no time to react as the 2015 Dodge Charger came barreling towards him. The two vehicles slammed into each other, head-on, officers reported.
At approximately 3:10 a.m., officers with the Visalia California Highway Patrol received the 911 call and headed to the scene. Upon arrival, they found the two vehicles with major front-end damage. Debris was thrown in all directions, covering the northbound lanes of the highway. Paramedics arrived and rushed to check both vehicles for injured occupants. They found Santos with fatal injuries. With heavy hearts, they pronounced 21-year-old Lisandro Santos dead at the scene and waited for the coroner.
Officers at the scene placed Armenta under arrest for possible DUI as well as other charges, according to reports.
Family members of Santos have created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses. Santos would have turned 22 on May 3rd, according to his family.
Our team at Accident News Now extends heartfelt sympathies to the family of Lisandro Santos following this senseless collision. We know this is a difficult time for you and our team of legal professionals is here to offer guidance during this time of mourning.
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