Pedestrian Killed in Hit-and-Run Crash on Highway 99 in Merced County
MERCED COUNTY, Calif. — A man was struck and killed in a hit-and-run collision early Saturday morning on northbound State Route 99, just south of Westside Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
The incident was reported to the Merced Communications Center at approximately 12:25 a.m. on August 30, 2025, when multiple 911 callers reported a vehicle versus pedestrian crash. Witnesses told dispatchers that the involved vehicle did not stop and continued traveling northbound on Highway 99 after hitting the pedestrian.
CHP officers quickly responded to the scene and found an adult male lying in the #2 lane of traffic. Officers immediately began performing CPR until emergency medical personnel arrived and took over life-saving efforts. Despite their attempts, the pedestrian succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim has been identified only as a 34-year-old man from Atwater, California.
According to investigators, the pedestrian was walking in the #2 lane of northbound Highway 99 for unknown reasons when an unidentified vehicle, traveling at an unknown speed, struck him and fled the scene.
Authorities have not yet determined whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash, and the incident remains under active investigation.
The CHP is urging anyone who may have been traveling in the area at the time or who has information about the suspect vehicle to come forward. Witnesses are encouraged to contact Investigating Officer Jennifer Simmons at (209) 356-6600, or (209) 356-2900 after hours.
For media inquiries, the public is asked to reach out to Public Information Officer Eric C. Zuniga at (209) 356-6608.
In a statement, CHP officials emphasized their mission to uphold “the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security” while reminding drivers of the importance of remaining at the scene of any crash.
The deadly collision has renewed calls for increased safety awareness along the busy Highway 99 corridor, where pedestrian-involved accidents remain a troubling issue.