SELMA – An eight-year-old was killed Saturday night when a suspected drunk driver crashed into the car the boy was riding in with his parents near Selma. According to the California Highway Patrol, the boy and his parents, Meghan Martzen (29) and driver Scott Martzen (33) were in their Kia Optima eastbound on Rose Avenue at Bethel Avenue just after 10 p.m.

The suspect, Karmjit Singh (35), failed to stop at a flashing stop sign on northbound Bethel Avenue at speeds near 100 mph. Rose Avenue is not controlled by a stop sign.

The front of Singh’s BMW 750i hit the passenger side of the Kia Optima where the boy, Maverick Martzen was sitting. The BMW ended up in a dry canal while the Kia Optima hit a tree,

The boy was revived at the scene by firefighters and rushed to Selma Hospital.  He was then airlifted to Valley Children’s Hospital, where he later died. The boy’s parents were taken to Selma Hospital with broken bones, according to CHP.

Singh, of Visalia, was driving on a suspended license after a DUI conviction in 2016. He was taken to Community Regional Medical Center, in Fresno where he refused to provide a breath test. CHP arrested the suspect and a blood sample was taken.  Singh was later released from the hospital and booked into Fresno County Jail.

Residences in the area of the incident have been complaining about the intersection for years and have submitted a petition to the county to make the intersection a 4-way stop prior to the collision.