Fresno, CA : Two killed in crash Highway 99 near Livingston on Wednesday, 7th September 2016

A crash on Highway 99 near Livingston claimed the life of an Atwater woman and her passenger on Wednesday, authorities said.

The California Highway Patrol reported that a Lexus traveling north on the highway crossed over the center divide just before 5 p.m. and collided with a Dodge Ram pickup truck that had been traveling south.

A 41-year-old woman from Atwater and her, passenger, a young man described by authorities as an “early teenage,” were in the Lexus ES 300, according to Officer Moises Onsurez. The teenaged boy, whose relationship to the woman was unclear, was ejected from the car.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names were not released as authorities were working to notify their families late Wednesday.

The Dodge Ram’s driver, Michael Farmen, 63, of Fresno, suffered minor injuries Onsurez said.

Merced Sheriff Vern Warnke, who was the first officer on scene, drove Farmen home to Fresno.

“He was shaken, but he was OK. Had some scratches and cuts, but he literally didn’t even require a band aide,” Warnke said. “I couldn’t believe he was the driver of that truck. I’ve never seen a vehicle ripped apart like that.”

The collision occurred in the southbound lanes between the Westside Boulevard exit and the Sultana Drive off-ramp. The Ram struck the passenger side of the Lexus before overturning.

Traffic in both directions of the highway was backed up and moving slowly, according to the CHP.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation late Wednesday.

The crash occurred near the same spot on the highway where a passenger bus crashed last month, claiming the lives of four people.

Authorities said Caltrans has been building a center divider on the section of Highway 99.

“They just haven’t gotten to that section of the road where this happened yet,” Warnke said, adding that the stretch of highway between Livingston and Atwater is a “problem” for motorists.

Source :
Two killed in crash Highway 99 near Livingston