Two men killed in head-on crash near Valley Children’s identified by Madera coroner

The two men killed in a head-on crash in Madera were identified Monday by the Madera County Coroner’s Office.

Jacob Lee Penner, 28, of Sacramento and Samuel Mendoza, 67, of Clovis died in the fatal collision about 6:45 a.m. Thursday on Avenue 9 near Children’s Boulevard, the coroner said.

Penner was headed east in a 2016 Honda Civic while Mendoza was a passenger in a 2021 Toyota Corolla going west, the California Highway Patrol said.

For unknown reasons, Penner allowed his vehicle to veer into the other lane and the left front of each car collided, CHP said.

Penner was not wearing a seat belt and died at the scene, which is west of Valley Children’s Hospital, CHP said. A toxicology report on him is pending, but officers initially said drugs and alcohol did not appear to be a factor.

Mendoza suffered major injuries and was taken to Valley Children’s, where he died, CHP said.

A 46-year-old man driving the Corolla was taken to the hospital with major injuries, according to CHP. A 63-year-old person in the car had moderate injuries.