At a Glance
- A 17-vehicle crash on Highway 99 in Fresno killed 61-year-old Gustavo Villanueva Vargas and injured over two dozen others.
- Married couple Melissa and Jason Culver survived after their car was struck seven times amid sudden dense fog.
- Why it matters: Survivors warn drivers to slow in fog, saying “alive and late is better than the alternative.”
A wall of fog triggered a chain-reaction crash on a California freeway Sunday, leaving one man dead and sending more than 25 people to hospitals.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) arrived at 9:15 a.m. on Jan. 11 to find 17 vehicles twisted across Highway 99 in Fresno. Officers told local outlets that drivers in two parallel lanes braked hard when visibility plunged, but trailing cars could not stop in time.
The Moment Fog Swallowed the Freeway
Jason Culver told KMPH the shift was instant.
> “We could see a half mile-no problem. Then all of a sudden, there was just a wall of fog.”
His wife, Melissa, recalled the same eerie transition to KABC-TV.
> “A thick layer of fog appeared out of nowhere.”
Within seconds the couple heard a rattle, bang, all over the place. Their sedan was rammed seven separate times and pushed into the vehicle ahead. Emergency crews pried open the driver-side door to free them. Both walked away with only cuts and bruises; the car was totaled.
Sole Fatality Amid Dozens of Injuries
While most involved escaped with survivable injuries, Gustavo Villanueva Vargas, 61, did not. Vargas and his wife had exited their disabled car when another vehicle struck him, launching him roughly 30 feet onto the right shoulder, according to CHP Officer Mike Salas. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene; his wife was transported to a hospital-her current condition has not been released.
Dozens of other motorists received treatment at area hospitals; exact injury tallies vary by outlet but all sources place the number above 25.
Investigation and Road Safety Plea
CHP investigators list fog as a major contributing factor and continue to reconstruct the sequence of impacts. The agency has not yet replied to a request for comment from News Of Los Angeles.
Speaking to local stations after the wreck, the Culvers urged every driver to respect low-visibility weather.
> “Don’t mess around with the fog,” Melissa said. “If you’re going to end up being late to wherever it is that you’re going, alive and late is better than the alternative.”
Key Takeaways
- Heavy fog can cut visibility to near zero within seconds on Central Valley highways.
- Multi-car pile-ups often begin when lead cars brake suddenly and trailing drivers lack reaction time.
- CHP recommends hazard lights, reduced speed, and if possible, exiting the roadway until fog lifts.
Authorities have not announced any citations or criminal charges while the investigation continues.
