Big rig overturns, kills driver in solo crash on Highway 99 near Atwater, CHP says

A big rig driver was killed in a solo crash on Highway 99 near Atwater on Wednesday.

California Highway Patrol officers responded at about 1:20 a.m. to southbound Highway 99 just north of the Atwater Boulevard off-ramp for a big rig that overturned onto its side, according to Officer Eric Zuniga.

Authorities said a 65-year-old Merced man was driving a three-axle Western Star truck hauling an empty trailer southbound in the No. 3 lane at an unknown speed approaching road construction and a two lane split.

Zuniga said an investigation determined the driver appears to have made an unsafe turning movement in an attempt to get into the No. 2 lane. When the truck swerved left, it collided with sand barrels and overturned onto the passenger side.

According to Zuniga, the driver was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown to the passenger side of the cab during the collision. The driver was partially ejected from the vehicle and tapped beneath the passenger side of the truck’s cab.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to Zuniga, motorists traveling through construction zones are advised to obey traffic signs, reduce speed, maintain following distance and to not drive distracted.

“As a reminder please always wear your restraint system—very important,” Zuniga said.