Two people were killed in a fatal traffic accident along Interstate 5 on Monday when a driver inexplicably drove off the road, struck them and crashed into a vehicle parked on the right shoulder.

Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel. The Fresno County Coroner's Office identified the men on Tuesday as 23-year-old Bryan Banister of Westlake Village and Rigoberto Cortez Gomez, 21, of Kerman.

Banister was headed north on I-5, just past Manning Avenue, when his Chevrolet pickup truck ran out of gas, said Officer Chris Webber with Coalinga California Highway Patrol. He pulled over onto the shoulder and came to a stop, then exited the truck to inspect what was wrong.

Gomez was working in a nearby field and saw the vehicle halt on the side of the road just after noon. The CHP said he hopped a fence and came to Banister's aid with an offer to help refuel the truck.

As they worked, a Chevrolet Tahoe came down the roadway behind them and drifted right into their path off the side of the road. The Tahoe slammed into the vehicle's rear and managed to hit both men as they stood there.

The impact proved fatal.

Cynthia Merritt, the 62-year-old driver of the Tahoe, was taken to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno for treatment. The CHP said she suffered major injuries. Her condition was listed as "fair" on Tuesday morning.

The sole passenger in the pickup, 23-year-old Christy McCallon of North Hollywood, was not injured in the crash. She was still inside the vehicle at the time of impact.

"Drugs and alcohol do not appear to be a factor at this time," Webber said Tuesday. "However, most of this information is still preliminary. We haven't been able to get a statement from Ms. Merritt yet due to her condition."

The Fresno County Coroner's Office said autopsies are scheduled for both victims to determine the cause of death. Blunt-force trauma injuries are considered a likely possibility.

Banister was a seasonal employee with the Ventura County Fire Department who had recently been promoted to a full-time position, according to his co-workers who contacted The Sentinel. He had been with the agency for three years and worked on a hand-crew to stop brush fires.

It is unclear at the time if charges will be filed against Merritt when she is released from the hospital.

The crash is still under investigation.

(Nov. 11, 2009)