Coroner identifies man struck and killed by vehicles on Highway 99 in Merced County

The Merced County Sheriff Coroner’s Office has identified a man struck and killed by vehicles on Highway 99 in Merced County on Sunday as 48-year-old Miguel Ballesteros-Aguilar.

Merced County Sheriff Deputy Michael Domingue. gave this account: California Highway Patrol officers responded at about 6:23 a.m. to a call of a pedestrian struck by vehicles in the southbound lanes of Highway 99, south of Plainsburg Road. Authorities said it appears the man was driving a Honda Civic northbound on Highway 99 and was involved in a collision with a big rig.

For unknown reasons, the man ran across the highway, where he was struck by multiple vehicles in the southbound lanes of Highway 99. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to authorities, some of the involved parties remained on the scene and cooperated with officers. The CHP said two vehicles believed to have struck the man were being sought in connection with a hit-and-run accident. Authorities described the vehicles as a blue Kia sedan and a Hyundai of an unknown color.

Both vehicles, believed to have sustained front-end damage, were last seen headed south on Highway 99. Anyone with information is asked to call the California Highway Patrol at 209-356-2929.

This story was originally published October 17, 2023 at 1:02 PM.