Elder Paul Hardin Dies at Hospital Days After Fresno County Collision on Highway 41 at Manning Avenue

Paul Hardin Dies of Injuries Sustained in Saturday Night DUI Crash in Fresno County

Fresno County, California: 69-year-old Paul Hardin died days after he was hospitalized with critical injuries sustained in a DUI accident that happened Saturday in Fresno County.

Hardin’s wife, 65-year-old Mary Hardin, died at the scene of the crash that happened on Highway 41 at Manning Avenue.

The couple had been serving as missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the California Fresno Mission since January 2024.

Authorities said the Hardins were in a Nissan Sentra stopped at a red light at the intersection when, at about 8:30 p.m., the vehicle was rear-ended by a Ford F-250 driven by David Alvarado, 54, of Madera.

The Sentra was pushed into a Dodge Charger that was also stopped for the red light.

Mary, who was driving the Sentra, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hardin died Monday while receiving treatment for his critical injuries at a local hospital.

Alvarado sustained minor injuries. He was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.