Fog is believed to have played a role in the pile-up that was reported at around 9:15 a.m. January 11, in the southbound lanes of the highway between Cedar and North avenues
Fresno, CA – One person died as a result of a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 99 in Fresno on Sunday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Fog is believed to have played a role in the pile-up that was reported at around 9:15 a.m. January 11, in the southbound lanes of the highway between Cedar and North avenues.
Initial investigations reveal that two vehicles slowed down on the highway and were hit by other fast-moving vehicles in the southbound lanes of Highway 99. At least 15 to 20 vehicles are believed to have been involved in the pile-up.
Troopers with the California Highway Patrol as well as fire crews and medics responded to the incident.
At least one person in one of the cars was killed in the accident. Several other parties, including juveniles, were hospitalized with minor to major injuries. Some of the patients were transported by a Fresno FAX bus.
The name, age, and gender of the deceased party were not immediately revealed.
A section of the highway was temporarily shut down as emergency crews worked at the scene. The California Highway Patrol is still conducting an ongoing investigation into the deadly incident.
Based on 2023 data from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), Fresno County experienced a significant, positive shift in traffic safety, mirroring a broader statewide decline in fatalities. While traffic patterns remained busy post-pandemic, Fresno County recorded 126 traffic fatalities in 2023, a notable decrease from the 206 deaths reported in 2022. Despite this improvement, the city of Fresno continued to struggle with high injury rates, with roughly 2,819 police-reported crashes occurring citywide in 2023. The total number of people killed or injured in traffic collisions in the city reached 1,600, ranking Fresno 12th among 15 similarly sized California cities in terms of overall safety. Key injury and fatality drivers included 238 victims in alcohol-involved crashes and 202 pedestrian victims. Vulnerable road users remained at high risk, with 88 bicyclists injured in collisions. Speed-related and hit-and-run incidents also contributed heavily to the total harm. The 2023 data highlights a shift in trend from the previous year's record highs, but emphasizes that Fresno's wide urban arterials still create high-risk environments, ranking pedestrian safety specifically in the bottom half of peer cities.
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