WATSONVILLE—A 44-year-old Prunedale man died Oct. 1 in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 129 (Riverside Road) at Old Chittenden Road.
California Highway Patrol Officer Sam Courtney said a 30-year-old man from Firebaugh—a small town some 30 miles southeast of Los Banos—was driving a 2019 Dodge Durango eastbound on Hwy 129 at 4:30pm approaching the train trestle just west of Old Chittenden Road.
A 50-year-old Salinas man was driving a 2021 Freightliner M2 big rig behind the Dodge. When the Dodge driver began slowing for traffic, the big rig driver saw the Dodge slowing and attempted to slow the Freightliner but it slammed into the rear of the Dodge. The impact shoved the Durango to the right where it collided with a cement wall just east of the train trestle.
The Freightliner then veered into the westbound lane where it struck a 2018 Mitsubishi Fuso box truck driven by the Prunedale man westbound on Hwy 129 just east of the train trestle.
The man who was driving the box truck died while being transported to the hospital, Courtney said.
The Dodge driver suffered minor injuries.
The name of the victim has not been released.
The incident is still under investigation.
