Pedestrian Killed by 18-Wheeler on CA-99 in Madera County
Madera County, CA — June 8, 2022, a male pedestrian was struck and killed by a commercial truck on State Highway 99 in Madera County.
According to reports the incident happened around 2:45 a.m. on Highway 99 near the Highway 152 interchange. The cause and circumstances of the accident aren't yet clear, but the pedestrian was reported in the road when he was hit by a passing 18-wheeler. The truck driver stopped immediately and called 911.
The pedestrian suffered fatal injuries in the accident.
The investigation is ongoing. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Pedestrian Accident on Hwy 99 in Madera County
Many folks feel that incidents like this, while tragic, are largely due to someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Being on foot in a highway is a pretty risky thing to do, but it's irresponsible to pin all the blame on the victim without considering other possible factors and letting only the objective facts tell the story.
Even if a highway is typically dangerous for pedestrians, there may have been extenuating or unusual circumstances involved. That's why it's important to learn all the details: What are sightlines and visibility like in that area? Are there streetlights along that stretch of road? Was the truck driver awake, alert, and watching the road? Were the truck's lights on? Were other vehicles able to avoid the victim without difficulty before the truck came along?
Further investigation might show this really boils down to a poor and costly choice on the victim's part, but it could also reveal other issues that weren't considered at first. At the very least the victim's loved ones deserve to know that careful attention was paid here to bring them answers. If there's anything else to do besides find the truth, knowing that will depend on what the truth turns out to be.
