The California Highway Patrol says the man was driving with his daughter on Highway 99 north when a truck going in the opposite direction lost its wheel.
The tire hopped over the center divide and came crashing through their windshield.
The man was taken to the hospital where he later died, while his 9-year-old daughter recovers from her injuries.
The collision remains under investigation, and it has yet to be determined whether the other driver will be cited for the accident.