Several small accidents - one with minor injuries - resulted from reaction to a freeway side truck fire that occurred Monday morning in Ceres.
Eric Parsons of the California Highway Patrol said that the driver of a northbound Highway 99 box truck was flagged down by another motorist to report smoke coming from the truck. He pulled over near the Mitchell Road offramp and attempted to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher but the truck became fully involved with flames.
The 8:40 a.m. fire caused traffic to slow down with at least one car rear-ending the one in front of it and causing minor injuries to the drivers. The CHP said Neal Groesbeck, 54, of Turlock, was driving northbound south of Mitchell Road in a 2011 Ford Mustang when he rear-ended a 2007 Toyota Camry in front of him driven by 39-year-old Turlock driver Monica Morales
Both Turlock drivers sustained minor injuries as a result of the collision.