A big rig jackknifed and is blocking Highway 99 in Atwater, CHP says

On the first rainy day of the season in Merced County, a big rig on Highway 99 jackknifed and blocked one of two lanes for several hours, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Traveling north near the Applegate Road off-ramp about 10 minutes before noon Wednesday, 30-year-old Parminder Singh of Livingston was driving a big rig as traffic slowed, according to Officer Eric Zuniga.

Singh tried to slow his big rig but for unknown reasons lost control, causing the truck to leave the slow lane and jacknifed into the fast lane, CHP said. No injuries were reported and no other cars were involved.

All lanes were cleared as of 2 p.m., Zuniga said.

“It is starting to rain out there so all the oil and the juices from the tomato trucks is starting to come up, and it’s going to make the roads a little bit more slick,” he said. “So please slow down.”

This story was originally published October 3, 2018 at 1:36 PM.