Deputies identify Chowchilla man killed in crash

A farm laborer killed this week when his vehicle struck a tree has been identified as a Chowchilla man, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office reported Tuesday.

Fredy Ramirez-Orellana, 32, of Chowchilla was killed between 8 and 9 a.m. Sunday when the John Deere Gator utility vehicle he was driving struck an almond tree in the 22000 block of Avenue 24 on Campos Bros. Farms property. Deputies initially reported that he was riding a motorcycle.

It remains unclear why the vehicle struck a tree on the farm roughly 9 miles east of Chowchilla, deputies said.

Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Ward said deputies were notified shortly before noon Sunday, but it appears the accident happened hours earlier. Deputies said the man’s body wasn’t immediately discovered by co-workers.

Ward said the office would work on the investigation with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health because the crash happened while the man was working.

This story was originally published April 19, 2016 at 12:55 PM with the headline "Deputies identify Chowchilla man killed in crash."