Driver ejected as truck flips, then he’s hit by other cars in fatal Highway 99 crash near Delhi

The driver of a pickup was killed when he was thrown from his vehicle and struck by multiple cars after the truck hit a construction barrier and rolled over early Sunday along Highway 99 near Delhi in Merced County.

Officers responded about 1:25 a.m. to a report of a vehicle striking an unknown object on northbound Highway 99, north of Shanks Road, according to a California Highway Patrol news release.

When officers arrived, they found a man lying in the No. 1 northbound lane. According to authorities, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers also located four vehicles pulled over just north of the crash scene and a 2012 Dodge Ram in the median on its wheels after it had overturned.

During the investigation, according to the CHP, it was determined that the driver of the Dodge was going south on the highway, south of Bradbury Road, at an unknown speed while not wearing a seat belt or other restraint.

The vehicle drifted into the median, then went across it and hit a so-called “k-rail,” which was bordering the northbound No. 1 lane. According to Officer J. Peregoy, k-rails are removable rails that are pinned together to form a barrier between construction zones and traffic lanes.

The driver of the Dodge was ejected from the vehicle and landed on the highway. The CHP said the man was then struck by four other vehicles headed north.

All of the drivers involved pulled over and called 911, according to the release.

Authorities said the drivers were cooperating with the investigation and did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Northbound lanes of Highway 99 were closed from about 1:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., according to Peregoy.

The CHP said the crash remains under investigation, and it is unknown if the driver of the Dodge was under the influence of any drugs or alcohol.

The Merced-area CHP office asks that anyone who witnessed the crash to contact Officer Bautista at 209-356-6600.