Three drivers ran over a woman who was walking across Highway 99 at Avenue 24 in Madera County. Investigators say the victim ran out of gas and walked across this overpass to buy a container of fuel.
But on the way back to her truck, she tried crossing the Highway instead. And that's when she was hit and killed.
The California Highway Patrol shut down part of Southbound 99 after a deadly accident Friday morning. Officers say a Madera woman was driving a red truck north on the Highway, when she ran out of gas. She walked to the Avenue 24 overpass and crossed over to a Valero gas station to buy a container and some fuel. Authorities say she decided to take a different route back.
CHP Officer Mark Cosentino said, "She was walking on the southbound side and at some point she decided to cross the freeway to the northbound side where her vehicle was."
Investigators say a man driving a Saturn sedan saw the woman running across the Highway, but didn't have time to react. He crashed into her and then a Ford Mustang and a Toyota Corolla also hit the victim. All three drivers stopped to help, but the 43-year-old died at the scene.
"We don't anticipate people walking on the freeways, and we ask people do not run on the freeways, and this is one of those reasons why," Cosentino said.
Cosentino says anyone who runs out of gas or is stranded on the Highway for any reason should stay in their car and call for help. He's also reminding everyone to slow down when weather conditions make driving more difficult.
"This morning it was still slightly dark, and it's been drizzly all day, kind of rainy so with the limited visibility due to the lighting conditions and the windshield wipers being on because of the rain visibility was very poor," Cosentino said.
The skies were still overcast when a tow truck arrived to take the GMC to this yard in Chowchilla. Meanwhile, authorities worked to identify the woman and notify her family about the tragedy.
The Sheriff's Office says the victim's identity will likely not be released until next week.
All three of the drivers involved in the accident walked away with minor to moderate injuries.
