Manteca man dies in I-5 semi-truck rollover in Fresno County

A 62-year-old Manteca man died after his semi-truck rolled on northbound Interstate 5 in Fresno County late Friday night, a crash that exposed how quickly the west side freight corridor can turn deadly after dark. The truck drifted into the left lane near Avenal Cutoff Road and Lassen Avenue just after 10:30 p.m., struck the center median cable barriers and rolled onto its side. CHP said the driver was ejected and died at the scene from major head injuries.

The man’s name had not been released in the report, and investigators did not report any other vehicles in the crash. CHP also did not say why the truck veered left before hitting the median barriers, leaving questions about whether speed, fatigue, roadway conditions or another factor played a role.

Interstate 5 is one of the most heavily used freight and travel routes through Fresno County, carrying trucks and drivers through long, dark stretches on the west side of the county. Caltrans uses annual average daily traffic as a core measure for tracking volumes, comparing traffic trends and calculating accident rates on the state highway system, which is why a serious collision on I-5 can have impacts far beyond one truck and one driver.

Caltrans’ highway information page showed no central California traffic restrictions in its latest update, suggesting the corridor was otherwise open when the crash was reported. Even so, the fatal rollover serves as another reminder that the combination of heavy commercial traffic, nighttime driving and fast-moving freeway conditions can leave little margin for error on I-5 through Fresno County.