HELOTES, Texas — A couple out of Helotes died in a serious car crash while on a mission trip in California.
On Saturday at around 11:45 a.m., deputies with the Fresno Sheriff's Office responded to Highway 41 and Manning Avenue after receiving reports of a serious accident.
Police say the driver of a Ford F250 crashed into a grey Nissan, killing the driver and passenger of the smaller car. The couple in the Nissan was identified as Mary and Paul Hardin out of Helotes. They were in California serving as part of a Mormon Missionary.
Mary was pronounced dead shortly after the crash while Paul passed away in the hospital Monday.
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office identified the driver of the pickup truck as 54-year-old David Alvarado of Madera. He pled not guilty in a court appearance Wednesday. The DA's office reports that Alvarado has been convicted of driving under the influence on six occasions, with offenses occurring in 1997, 2005, 2006, two in 2019, and 2021.
The California Fresno Mission posted on Facebook sharing what the Hardin's meant to their community along with their condolences:
It's unknown what happened leading up to the crash, which is still being investigated.
KENS 5 will update this story as more information becomes available.
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