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Big Rig Driver Dies After Truck Veers Off Highway 99 Into Apartment Carport

TURLOCK (CBS13) — A big rig drove off the highway and crashed into an apartment complex parking structure, killing 1 in Turlock on Thursday.

The California Highway Patrol says a semi truck heading north on Highway 99 veered off the roadway at a high rate of speed.

"The driver of the vehicle allow the big rig to travel from the number three lane onto the shoulder where it collided with the sound wall," said CHP officer Eric Parsons.

It smashed through the wall and crushed two Avena Bella apartments carports. A driver inside one of the nearby cars was cut out of the vehicle and taken to the hospital.

The driver of the big rig was pronounced dead at the scene.

Shawna Olivas says she's worried about living so close to the freeway.

"This is always something we've been concerned about but having it actually happened is very scary," she said.

Residents first on the scene say it was a traumatic scene but many people ran to help in any way they could.

Investigators are looking for a cause for the crash.

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