The California Highway Patrol says the crash happened just after 2 am Monday near Livingston.
Officers say Thompson was driving a Chevrolet Malibu the wrong way in the fast lane of Highway 99, just south of Hammatt Avenue.
He crashed head-on into a 41-year-old man from San Bernardino, driving a Toyota Camry.
The impact caused the wrong-way driver to veer across all lanes and into the path of a big rig in the slow lane.
The big rig was not able to move out of the way in time, and the Chevrolet hit the trailer.
Thompson died at the scene.
Four other people inside the Malibu were taken to the hospital for treatment.
The driver of the Toyota and the big rig driver were not injured.