Saul Betancourt Dies in T-Bone Crash at River Road and Villa Manucha Road in Newman
Newman, California (January 11, 2022) – The Stanislaus County Coroner's Office identified the driver who died when a sheriff's deputy car T-boned his vehicle Monday morning at an intersection in Newman.
21-year-old Saul Betancourt of Modesto was killed in the crash that happened at around 7 a.m. at River Road and Villa Manucha Road.
According to the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department, deputies were responding to a Newman police officer who had requested for help after being involved in a fight with a suspect after a traffic stop.
The report said Deputy Eric Fulmer, 34, was driving an unmarked Nissan heading south on River Road with lights and sirens on when a Chevrolet coupe driven by Betancourt pulled into the intersection from Villa Manucha Road.
The vehicles were involved in a T-bone crash.
Betancourt sustained critical injuries and died at the scene. His passenger, identified as 19-year-old Maria Prado, was rushed to Doctors Medical Center with major injuries including a possible concussion.
Deputy Fulmer was also hospitalized with major but non-life-threatening injuries including a broken leg and had to undergo surgery.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.