A father and son were arrested this week in connection with a crash in Madera County, California, that killed four people from Merced County who were returning home from a dove-hunting trip. The California Highway Patrol says a GMC Sierra pickup truck ran a stop sign at the intersection of Road 9 and Avenue 21 on the night of September 3, 2026, and collided with a Honda CR-V carrying five people. Four of the five Honda occupants were killed; the fifth was airlifted to a hospital with severe injuries, including broken ribs. Thomas Wood Sr., 43, and Thomas Wood Jr., 21, were booked into the Madera County Jail on suspicion of murder and accessory to murder, respectively, though prosecutors have since said they need more evidence before filing formal charges.
According to ABC30 Fresno, the four people killed were identified as Pedro Chavez Garcia, 42; his 13-year-old son, Pedro Chavez; Gerardo Ramirez Aguilar, 36; and Cayetano Beyza-Mendoza, 52, all of Merced County. ABC30 reported that CHP has not yet determined whether drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash, and the investigation remains open. Family members told the outlet they used cellphone location data to find the crash scene after the group failed to return home. The Madera County District Attorney’s Office told reporters it declined to file charges against Wood Sr. and Wood Jr. for now, saying more evidence is needed before charges could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
