Man and his dog killed on Highway 41 in Central Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- All lanes of Highway 41 are back open following a deadly early morning crash in Central Fresno.

The crash happened just after 6 a.m. near the McKinley off ramp. The CHP said the victim was walking on the highway when he was hit by several cars. Investigators say the victim appears to be a transient who was with a dog.

"It's illegal for a pedestrian to be on the freeway in the first place. Unfortunately with the homeless problem we have here in Fresno, we do get a lot of people traveling the freeways on foot," said Scott Esmay, California Highway Patrol.

The crash caused a major backup on northbound Highway 41 and the connector ramps during the morning commute.

Watch the video for extended coverage from Action News reporter Amanda Venegas.