1 dead on 99 after tire fails, driver hits tree near McKinley Avenue off-ramp in Fresno

UPDATE: Driver killed in Highway 99 crash near McKinley exit identified as Fresno man, 22



One person is dead after a car left the roadway and slammed into a tree Sunday afternoon on northbound Highway 99 at McKinley Avenue, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The crash happened just after noon. The CHP closed the Olive Avenue on-ramp during the investigation.

The CHP said the crash took place as the 22-year-old male driver of a 2000 Lexis LS400 experienced a left-rear tire failure due to a tread separation. The driver applied the brakes, and the Lexus spun clockwise and left the roadway, slamming into a eucalyptus tree. The driver suffered fatal injuries.

Fresno firefighters helped put out flames after the crash, the CHP said.

This story was originally published March 26, 2023 at 2:39 PM.