Tulare woman dead after pickup slams into palm tree

A 66-year-old Tulare woman involved in a crash where the driver of the truck she was in collided with a palm tree has died.

Nancy Sue Lopez died from internal bleeding, the Porterville Police Department said Thursday.

Police said the driver, 67-year-old Patrick Gavin, had a coughing attack and potentially lost consciousness  prior to crashing into the palm tree just before 4 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

Gavin was driving a four-door Ford F-150 west on Morton Avenue when he veered off the road and crashed into the tree in the parking lot of the Palm Tree Inn.

Gavin, Lopez, and a third passenger identified as Nannette Gavin, were transported via ambulance to Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia.

On Wednesday, Porterville officers were notified by hospital staff from Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno that Lopez died as a result of the injuries she sustained in the crash.

Gavin was treated and released while Nannette Gavin is being held for observation and is expected to fully recover, the PPD said.