Changes coming to Fresno intersection after viral video of man almost being hit by car

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Video from a southeast Fresno intersection now seen around the world is sparking change.

In the video, an out-of-control car barely misses a man checking the mail in front of his house at the Tulare and Minnewawa intersection.

The car came skidding toward his house after colliding with another.

Ruben Almaraz was able to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.

While shocking, the accident isn't the first he's seen in front of his home. In fact, he installed a security camera to capture incidents just like this one.

"Every 8 to 12 days, maybe every one every once every other week, basically," Ruben Almaraz, Fresno Resident. "Finally, I decided I saw so many accidents. I just put a camera there."

That video caught the public's attention, just days after the incident someone took it upon themselves to make their own changes to the intersection, installing three foot high stop signs and painting stop lines on Tulare.

Videos of the changes and Almaraz's security video caught the attention of city councilmember Luis Chavez and Fresno County Supervisor Chairman Nathan Magsig, who advised against taking your own measures.

"When residents try to put their own paint down, that does cause challenges. If there is an accident, there is the potential that individually, the people who have made those modifications could be held liable for that," said Magsig.

Magsig stopped by Tuesday morning as crews corrected the amature adjustments, painted over the added lines, and prepared for more work to improve safety later in the week, including increasing the visibility of stop signs and adding striping.

Magsig and Chavez said they've had several conversations about the intersection, with three-quarters of the intersection being county property and one corner city property.

Chavez said the fact drivers only stop on Minnewawa adds to the danger of the intersection. He expects the issues will only become worse when a planned shopping center is built at Clovis and Tulare within the next few years.

When that shopping center is complete, Chavez said a stoplight will be installed in all directions, but until then, he wants to see a stop sign added on Tulare Avenue, and soon.

"In the meantime I want to prioritize this and put it in this midyear budget adjustment conversation and get that temporary stop sign that would actually slow the traffic there because I think the footage speaks for itself, there's been a lot of incidents, a lot of close calls," said Chavez.

Almaraz said if he'd known his videos could prompt change this quickly, he would have shared them sooner.

He said since sharing, he's had dozens of people reaching out to offer their support.

"I got an opportunity to make a difference, and not just for myself, but for the community, and might as well go forward and do that," said Almaraz.

Chavez said a preliminary traffic study has already been conducted by the city, and more will be done by both the city and county. In the meantime, there is increased enforcement in the area.

Chavez said over the weekend, police issued 24 citations in the area of the intersection.

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