Highway 99 Fatality South of Tulare

January 21, 2012- An accident on Highway 99, south of Visalia, leads to fatality. The crash occurred at about 5:54 PM, on Saturday.

Carlos Contreras, of North Hollywood, was driving a 1998 Kia sedan southbound on Highway 99, near Tulare. It is reported that the Kia was traveling at about 70 mph in the slow lane.

Raymond Huff Jr., of Bakersfield, was driving a pickup truck pulling a trailer carrying a boat, southbound on the highway as well.

Huff pulled his pickup into the fast lane to try to pass a semi truck. While the pickup was passing the big rig, Contreras made an abrupt left-turning movement. This caused the Kia to swerve across the fast lane and enter the center median.

Contreras continued traveling south on the median and lost control veering back into the fast lane, and collided with the boat trailer on Huff's vehicle.

The impact caused both the Kia and the pickup truck to roll over into the median. With the pickup's boat and trailer detaching from the vehicle and ended up blocking traffic in the fast lane of the freeway.

Contreras was not wearing his seat belt, and was thrown from the sedan. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision.

Huff, and his passenger Michael Meier of Bakersfield, were wearing their safety restraints. They suffered minor injuries, but refused medical attention.

If you need a lawyer please call Attorney John Rozier, your personal injury specialist handling all types of crashes. I am located in Visalia 559-713-0159.