Highway 99 head-on collision turns fatal

A head-on collision on Highway 99 south of Merced left one person dead Friday evening, the California Highway Patrol reported.

About 4:45 p.m., a vehicle traveling north on Highway 99 near Plainsburg Road crossed over to the southbound side and collided with two other vehciles, Officer Moises Onsurez said.

One fatality was confirmed and there was no other information immediately available about the people traveling in the other vehicles, Onsurez said.

Traffic was being diverted off of southbound Highway 99 on Plainsburg Road, about 10 miles south of Merced, and travelers were advised to expect delays and to use alternative routes if possible, Onsurez said.

The story will be updated.

This story was originally published December 23, 2016 at 5:53 PM with the headline "Highway 99 head-on collision turns fatal."