Driver killed after big rig tire strikes vehicle on Highway 99 near Merced, CHP says

A driver has died after a tire from a big rig struck a vehicle on Highway 99 near Merced, according to authorities.

At about 10:40 a.m Thursday, California Highway Patrol officers responded to the area of southbound Highway 99 just south of Franklin road after receiving a report that a big rig tire hit a vehicle, according to CHP Officer Eric Zuniga.

Zuniga said it appears one of the axles on a big rig traveling northbound on Highway 99 had some sort of malfunction, causing one of the tires to bounce over the center divide and strike a Nissan pickup truck that was traveling in the No. 1 southbound lane of Highway 99 through a construction zone.s

Authorities said the the tire struck the pickup on the driver’s side windshield. According to Zuniga, the driver of the Nissan, a 58-year-old woman from Avenal, was pronounced dead at the scene. A 5-year-old female passenger in the rear seat of the Nissan did not appear to be injured in the crash but was transported to a hospital out of precaution.

The CHP said the 39-year-old driver of the rig is cooperating with authorities and that neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor in the collision, which remains under investigation.

Zuniga said the No. 1 southbound lane of Highway 99 remains closed for investigation at this time, and it is unknown when the lane will reopen.

This story was originally published July 20, 2023 at 12:13 PM.