Family of victim in multi-vehicle crash on Esplanade asking for the public's help

What began as a family visit to celebrate a granddaughter's fourth birthday party ended in tragedy when 63-year-old Tawney Christner, of Clearlake was killed in a crash. Before heading home on May 27, 2026, Christner visited her daughter and left her son Kyle's home at about 11:45 a.m. A few hours later, Christner's daughter-in-law, Kimberly Chambers, said her husband called to tell her that the Esplanade had been shut down while he was on his way to pick up their son from school. "My husband went to go pick our son up from school and said there's a really bad accident and they have the Esplanade shut down." said Chambers. Kyle Christner later found a photo online showing his mother's blue car in the middle of a multivehicle crash at the intersection of the Esplanade and East Lassen Avenue. According to Chico police, an 82-year-old man allegedly ran a red light at a high rate of speed and struck the rear of Christner's vehicle. The force of the collision pushed her car into the intersection, where it crashed into several other vehicles. Christner was pronounced dead at the scene. Her family continues to grapple with the sudden loss of a woman they described as caring, compassionate and beloved by all who knew her. "I can't tell you how hard it was to sit down with my six year old and explain grandma was in a car accident and her body stopped working" said Chambers. The family is now asking for the public's help in a GoFundMe to give the woman who is beloved in her community a proper sendoff for a funeral. "The cost of these things are high and we're raising two children" says Chambers. "We want to give her the loving sendoff that she deserves, words cannot express the gratitude for everyone that has pitched in and our family appreciates it." -- Report a correction or typo.