Sacramento, CA – Just before midnight on Sunday, August 16, 2026, an SUV crash into a group of men changing a flat tire on eastbound Highway 50 resulted in the death of Dionicio Romero Flores, 34, of Rancho Cordova, and left three others injured, according to ABC10.
The California Highway Patrol reports that the accident took place around 11:30 PM near Exit 7, west of 34th Street.
Authorities said a vehicle had pulled over to the shoulder after one of its tires went flat, and the driver’s friends arrived to help, parking behind the disabled vehicle. As the group worked on the tire, an SUV drifted off the roadway and directly into the four men. Romero Flores died as a result of the impact. Another man sustained major injuries, while the remaining two suffered minor injuries, with one complaining of pain.
The driver of the SUV remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation. CHP Sergeant Keith Nguyen said alcohol and drugs were not suspected as factors in the crash. The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office formally identified Romero Flores following his death.
Fire personnel and responding units worked to access the gore point area near the crash, with multiple vehicles and people found on the roadway shoulder. A hard closure was requested, with lanes three and four closed along with the 34th Street off-ramp before lanes one and two reopened shortly after. Caltrans assisted with the extended closure, and Sacramento Police Department helped shut down cross-street on-ramps.
A witness reported that the flare pattern set up for the closure was confusing to drivers, with at least one motorist reporting they nearly drove through the closure due to dim flares. The coroner was notified and responded. An evidence tow was requested for one of the involved vehicles.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Sacramento Car Accidents and Wrongful Death Claims
California law requires drivers to maintain control of their vehicles at all times and remain especially alert around disabled vehicles and pedestrians on freeway shoulders. When a driver drifts off the roadway and strikes people on the shoulder, that driver may bear liability for the resulting death and injuries.
Romero Flores’s family may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim, while those injured may have the right to pursue a personal injury claim. These claims can provide compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages related to the accident.
Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyer
If you or someone you love was harmed in an accident like the one described here, on Highway 50 near 34th Street, contact a California wrongful death lawyer for any questions or to receive a no-cost, no-obligation case assessment.
