Detroit man killed, passenger injured in big rig crash on I-5 near Patterson
A 50-year-old Detroit man died Tuesday after he was ejected from an overturned big rig he was driving on Interstate 5 near Patterson, the California Highway Patrol said.
The CHP responded just after 12:30 p.m. to the solo vehicle collision just north of the Sperry Avenue on-ramp, spokesperson Tom Olsen said. The 2016 big rig was carrying a flatbed trailer with frames and wheels for other trailers.
An initial investigation shows the big rig was traveling in the slow lane when it veered to the right for an unknown reason, crossed over the Sperry Avenue on-ramp, overturned and came to rest east of the freeway.
The driver was ejected from the vehicle, and emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene. It is not yet known if he was wearing a seat belt or whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash, Olsen said.
A passenger in the vehicle was transported to a nearby hospital. Their injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening.
The California Department of Transportation is expected to shut down the Sperry Avenue on-ramp sometime around 3 p.m. for at least two hours, Olsen said.
