LODI, CALIFORNIA — The California Highway Patrol’s Stockton office announced Wednesday it will recommend charges be filed against a big rig driver whose truck failed to stop for slowing traffic on southbound Highway 99 south of Jahant Road on September 2, killing a 23-year-old Sacramento man and shutting the freeway down for nearly 10 hours.
Johnatan Cervantes Torres, 23, of Sacramento, was killed in the crash. The three other drivers involved were not injured.
CHP said the preliminary investigation shows traffic was slowing or stopped in the southbound lanes when the second big rig, traveling at an unsafe speed, failed to stop in time and struck three vehicles ahead of it — one big rig stopped or slowing in the number two lane, one pickup truck in the number one lane, and a second pickup truck pulling a trailer also slowing ahead. After the collision the striking big rig continued through a fence west of Highway 99 before coming to rest partially blocking the southbound freeway and the 99 Frontage Road. The other vehicles blocked the remaining southbound lanes.
Alcohol and drugs are not considered factors. CHP will recommend to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office that charges be filed against the big rig driver. Formal charges have not yet been filed.
Southbound Highway 99 was closed from approximately 1 p.m. until 10:45 p.m. while crews investigated and cleared the wreckage.
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