A 35-year-old Ceres man is being blamed for a deadly Monday evening Highway 99 crash in Merced that took the life of a 55-year-old Sacramento truck driver.

Anthony A. Carrasco, 35, of Ceres, was arrested by the California Highway Patrol in the aftermath of the 11:23 p.m. crash that sent a big-rig off the freeway and partially down the embankment south of R Street with the rear trailer blocking a lane. Emergency personnel found the Sacramento man pinned inside the cab of the big rig which had overturned. They were unable to extricate the victim and he died from his injuries at the scene.

The name of the victim was not available as of press time.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the truck driver was southbound on Highway 99, driving a 2021 International tractor-trailer rig and hauling a set of double trailers in the slow lane north of O Street at approximately 55 mph. That’s when Carrasco, driving a 2002 Chevy Tahoe, attempted to pass the big-rig on the narrow right shoulder of the freeway at a high rate of speed. The Tahoe became wedged in-between the big-rig and metal guard rail, causing the big-rig to jackknife to the right and overturn down the steep embankment. 

The CHP evaluated Carrasco for DUI and arrested him on suspicion of DUI. Carrasco was not injured but was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Merced for a medical clearance before he was booked into the Merced County Jail for felony DUI. 

This traffic crash is still under investigation.