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SUV falls from Turlock overpass onto highway
Canal overpass crash
Emergency crews work to clean up an accident scene where an SUV fell 20 feet from a Turlock overpass onto southbound Highway 99 (Photo courtesy of TPD).

A utility vehicle fell 20 feet from a Turlock overpass on Thursday morning to land on Highway 99, injuring two and causing major traffic delays.

At approximately 7:53 a.m. Thursday, Turlock Police Dispatch received a call of an injury accident that involved several vehicles in the area of Highway 99 and West Canal Drive.

Officers arrived on scene and discovered the accident originated from a tan colored SUV, traveling east on West Canal Drive, that left the roadway near the top of the north side of the West Canal Drive overpass. The SUV fell from a distance estimated to be 20 feet and came to rest in the slow lane of southbound Highway 99. As a result, a tractor trailer that was traveling southbound Highway 99 stuck the SUV and the impact forced it into the fast lane where it was struck again by a sedan traveling southbound.

The Turlock Police Department received a late reported call that the SUV was seen driving recklessly in the area, just prior to the accident.
As a result of the collision, the two occupants of SUV suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a local hospital, according to the police report. This accident caused major traffic delays for southbound Highway 99 and a separate accident occurred in the northbound lanes of Highway 99 as a result.

The Turlock Police Department was on scene and investigating this accident for several hours, while southbound Highway 99 was blocked for nearly an hour.

The Turlock Police Department asks that anyone with information related to this accident to call Officer John-Paul Beech at (209) 668-5550 extension 6150. You can also contact the Turlock Police Department’s Tip Line at (209) 668-5550 extension 6780 or email at tpdtipline@turlock.ca.us.

The Turlock Police Department is an active participant in the Crime Stoppers Program. Callers can leave an anonymous tip by calling Crime Stoppers at (209) 521-4636 and may be eligible for a cash reward.