Sacramento, CA – Just before midnight on Sunday, August 16, 2026, an SUV crash into a group of men on the shoulder of eastbound Highway 50 resulted in one death and left three others injured, according to KCRA, with additional reporting from CHP Fatal.
The California Highway Patrol reports that the accident took place around 11:35 PM on eastbound Highway 50 at 34th Street.
Authorities said a vehicle had pulled over to the right shoulder after one of its tires went flat. The driver’s friends then arrived to help with the tire and parked behind the disabled vehicle.
As the group worked on the tire, an SUV drifted off the roadway and directly into the four men. One man died as a result of the impact. Another sustained major injuries, while the remaining two suffered minor injuries and did not require hospital transport.
The driver of the SUV remained at the scene and cooperated with officers. Fire personnel and responding units worked to access the gore point area near the crash, with multiple vehicles and people found in the roadway shoulder. A hard closure was requested, with lanes three and four closed along with the 34th Street off-ramp before lanes one and two reopened shortly after.
Caltrans was contacted to assist with the extended closure, and Sacramento Police Department helped shut down cross-street on-ramps. A witness reported that the flare pattern set up for the closure was confusing to drivers, and at least one motorist reported nearly driving through the closure due to dim flares. The coroner was notified and responded. An evidence tow was requested for one of the involved vehicles.
DUI is not suspected to be a factor in the crash. The identity of the man killed had not been released at the time of reporting. The investigation remains ongoing.
Sacramento Car Accidents and Wrongful Death Claims
California law requires drivers to maintain control of their vehicles at all times and remain especially alert around disabled vehicles and pedestrians on freeway shoulders. When a driver drifts off the roadway and strikes people on the shoulder, that driver may bear liability for the resulting death and injuries.
The family of the man who died may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim, while those injured may have the right to pursue a personal injury claim. These claims can provide compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages related to the accident.
Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyer
If you or someone you love was harmed in an accident like the one described here, on Highway 50 at 34th Street, contact a California wrongful death lawyer for any questions or to receive a no-cost, no-obligation case assessment.
