Northbound Highway 99 reopens north of Galt after deadly crash

Traffic has resumed after a deadly crash involving a semi truck closed all lanes on northbound Highway 99 south of Eschinger Road, officials said on Thursday.

The crash was first reported just after 1:30 p.m., according to CHP, and involved a total of three vehicles. Officials said that the semi truck crashed into a Nissan sedan and a Mazda sedan on the shoulder of the freeway. 

CHP said that the Mazda was disabled on the shoulder and waiting for roadside assistance, and the Nissan driver, who is related to the driver of the Mazda, had pulled over behind them to assist. 

The semi truck was driving northbound on the highway when, for unknown reasons, the truck drifted onto the shoulder and crashed into both vehicles. The truck would overturn onto its left side following the crash, blocking a lane and the center divider. The driver was not injured.

The driver and a passenger inside the Nissan, as well as the driver of the Mazda, were hospitalized, with the driver of the Nissan eventually dying at the hospital. A CHP spokesperson later confirmed the driver was an elderly woman and the passenger is her grandson.

Traffic was being diverted off of the freeway onto Dillard Road as crews worked to clean up the crash scene, officials said. The road was closed for over three hours in total.

CHP has not said if drug or alcohol use is considered a factor in the crash.