Hanford, CA (September 4, 2026) – A driver was injured on Thursday morning, September 3, after swerving to avoid a big rig and going off the road into a cornfield along State Route 198 near 6th Avenue in Hanford. It happened around 6:06 a.m.
The driver told dispatchers the big rig had been stopped in the roadway, according to initial reports. The vehicle left the road and landed in the cornfield, and the airbags deployed.
The truck driver left before deputies arrived, and no further information about the big rig was immediately available. The search for the truck driver remains active.
We hope for a full recovery for the injured driver.
Why Are Stopped Vehicles So Dangerous Before Sunrise?
A stopped or disabled vehicle in a live travel lane, especially before sunrise, can be extremely difficult for approaching drivers to see in time. A large truck without hazard lights activated or visible from a distance can leave a driver only a second or two to react once it comes into view.
Swerving to avoid an obstacle is an instinctive response, but it can send a vehicle off the roadway and into unpredictable terrain, such as a soft field or irrigation ditch common along agricultural routes like this stretch of Highway 198. A vehicle that leaves the pavement at speed can travel a significant distance before coming to a stop.
When a driver involved in causing another vehicle to swerve leaves before authorities arrive, it can complicate the investigation, since there may be no physical contact between the vehicles to help establish exactly what happened. Witness accounts and any available dash-cam footage become especially important in these kinds of cases.
