Man almost hit by out-of-control car in Fresno, calls for intersection changes

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A man came within inches of being hit by an out-of-control car while checking his mail in southeast Fresno on Tuesday.

ABC30 insider Ruben Almaraz shared a shocking video of the close call near Tulare and Minnewawa.

The video captures two cars colliding in the intersection, sending one of the vehicles skidding towards Almaraz.

Almaraz was able to jump out of the way before being struck.

"I can't say what I was thinking, but to lighten it up, I was like, 'Oh shoot' and 'Oh, get out of the way.' Honest to God, truth, I thought it was going to hit me," explained Almaraz.

Almaraz says that's not the first crash that's happened at the intersection.

He says he witnesses two to three crashes a month.

Many of the crashes were caught on his security camera.

"Just a few weeks ago, a guy ran into the other building right behind me," recalled Almaraz.

Some planks of the fence have recently been replaced after that car barreled through it.

Footage from the ABC30 archives of previous crashes at this intersection, including one that killed a person.

Almaraz reached out to his city council member, Luis Chavez, asking him to do something.

I went back and checked the logs for that intersection specifically, and our own police department identified that intersection as an intersection that needs some kind of signage, stop sign, or a traffic light," said Chavez.

One problem is that there's a two-way stop for cars on Minnewawa crossing Tulare, but the traffic on Tulare doesn't stop.

Almaraz says drivers speeding through the intersection is another issue.

"These guys aren't going 40. They don't go 40," said Almaraz. "It's a 40 mph (zone), and people come up to about 80. You get racers, you just get a lot of fast cars out here, you play Frogger. That's all you do. The kids are playing Frogger out here."

Easterby Elementary and Kings Canyon Middle School are just down the street, meaning students have to walk by this dangerous traffic every day.

After hearing from Almaraz, Chavez says he is committed to making change.

"A stop sign would be my inclination initially to make sure we at least slow traffic down there. And then begin the traffic analysis for an actual signal light for folks to be able to cross," said Chavez.

Almaraz says that just as he's watched crash after crash, he'll be keeping a close eye on the progress of the much-needed improvements.

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