By james art BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — An Irvine man is dead after being involved in a crash involving a truck and semi-trailer Friday morning on Highway 46 west of Bakersfield.
Around 11:15 a.m. CHP Bakersfield received a report of a two-vehicle crash on Highway 46, east of Kecks Road. Officers from the Buttonwillow CHP office responded.
They discovered that a 29-year-old Fresno man was driving a 2015 Freightliner semi-trailer southbound on a private dirt road when he approached the westbound lanes of Highway 46, east of Kecks Road.
At the same time, an Irvine man of unknown age was driving a 2019 Mercedes westbound on Highway 46, east of Kecks Road, in the number two lane, approaching the semi.
For reasons that are still under investigation, the driver of the semi failed to yield the right of way to the Mercedes and entered the westbound lanes of Highway 46 directly into the path of the driver of the Mercedes. The Irvine man failed to stop and crashed into the left side of the semi. The semi-trailer continued across the paved portion that connected the westbound and eastbound lanes of Highway 46 before coming to rest in the eastbound lane.
The Irvine man was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the semi-trailer had minor injuries and was taken to Kern Medical Center.
Alcohol appeared to be a factor in the crash, the CHP said.
Anyone with information regarding this crash is asked to call the Buttonwillow CHP office at (661) 764-5580.