Child dies after Fresno crash; Central High coach faces DUI, manslaughter charges
Central High School’s boys varsity basketball coach faces a charge of vehicular manslaughter after a child struck in a northwest Fresno crash Wednesday night died, police say.
The 7-year-old child was one of three family members riding bicycles in a crosswalk across Shepherd Avenue when they were struck by a car driven by Loren LeBeau, 42, police said.
Police said LeBeau left the accident scene but later returned and identified himself. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, Lt. Mike Doyle said.
Doyle said a father and his 2-year-old daughter were on one bicycle and the 7-year-old boy on another when they were hit as they rode the Fresno-Clovis Rail Trail across Shepherd Avenue just after 9 p.m.
The boy, identified by the Fresno County coroner as Donovan Maldonado, was dragged a couple hundred yards down westbound Shepherd Avenue, Doyle said.
The boy was taken either to Community Regional or Children’s Hospital Central California and was initially listed in very critical condition.
The father and daughter were taken to Community Regional Medical Center with serious injuries. Doyle said. They were not identified.
Doyle said the family was in a group that included four others — including the children’s mother — who were walking the trail. A street light at that crossing was not working Wednesday night.
Police were trying to determine Wednesday night how fast the driver was going, and whether his headlights were on at the time of the crash.
Although Doyle could not confirm LeBeau was Central High’s coach, a player contacted Wednesday night who saw television footage of the driver confirmed he was the school’s coach.
LeBeau has been Central High’s varsity basketball coach for 10 seasons, including the past five years.
In between his two stints as Central’s coach, LeBeau served as an assistant coach at Pepperdine and Fresno City.
Cause of the Fresno Crash
While this devastating Fresno County accident on July 25 remains under investigation, the family members of those accident victims who were seriously injured would be well-advised to speak with an understanding and knowledgeable Fresno County personal injury lawyer. An attorney such as Gary A. Kessler who has successfully handled wrongful death accidents can advise the victim’s family of their legal rights to hold the driver accountable and best course of action should they wish to pursue a wrongful death claim.
Alcohol Impaired Driving Accidents and Wrongful Death Liability
The California wrongful death attorney Gary A Kessler and the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler are compassionate and fully understand that you are attempting to cope with extreme grief and sorrow associated with the loss of a loved one. The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler carefully selects its wrongful death cases so that we may give you (the client) the substantial personal attention necessary to obtain a successful result for your wrongful death case.
The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler is prepared to front all costs required for a thorough investigation and expert witnesses to prepare for trial of your case. As in all wrongful death and serious personal injury cases, we advance all legal costs to prepare and present our client’s claim, and receive for our services only a percentage of what we recover for our attorney fees on their behalf. Upon settlement our costs shall be reimbursed to us from the gross recovery. If there is no recovery, no attorneys fees or costs are owed to our firm.
