Update: Highway 99 partially open after big rigs collide near Fresno, then another crash
.png "Traffic is stopped on Highway 99 in Fresno, CA following a big rig collision on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.")
Highway 99 was closed Wednesday afternoon following a pair of collisions that snarled traffic south of Fresno near Manning Avenue.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a big rig ran into the yellow crash cushions at Manning Avenue just before 11:15 a.m. The driver lost control and overturned the truck, spilling its haul of river rocks. A second truck, an Amazon truck, then couldn’t stop in time and collided with the trailer in the roadway.
The driver of the first truck had major injuries and was taken to Community Regional Medical Center, the CHP said. The Amazon driver had minor injuries, but was not taken to hospital.
A second collision occurred on the northbound side of the Highway, causing slow and stop-and-go traffic in that direction as well, the CHP said.
Southbound lanes were expected to be closed for at least four hours to clean up the debris on the roadway, and drivers were detoured at Merced Street. Clovis Avenue and Golden State were also used as alternate routes.
Around 3:30 p.m., the CHP reported southbound lanes 1 and 2 were open, but lane 3 remained closed.
This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 12:52 PM.
