One dead after car drifts off Highway 99 and into parked big rig in Tulare County, CHP says

The California Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash on the northbound side of Highway 99 early Sunday morning in Tulare County in which a vehicle collided with a commercial truck parked on the shoulder of the road.

“For whatever reason the driver allowed his vehicle to drift to the right and it struck the rear of that truck,” said Sgt. Ryan Pedersen of the Visalia CHP office. “The vehicle went under the trailer, it was a 2013 Chevy Malibu. It went several feet under the trailer and then caught fire.”

The collision, near the Avenue 24 over-crossing near Earlimart, occurred shortly after 1:27 a.m., CHP said.

The victim has not been identified and the CHP has not been determined whether drugs or alcohol were a factor.