Driver Killed in Four-Vehicle Highway 4 Crash Involving a Semi Truck Near Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch

What the CHP Reported

The California Highway Patrol said the crash happened at 1:38 p.m. on Friday, September 10, 2021, on westbound Highway 4 east of Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch, and involved four vehicles, according to Bay Area news reports of the CHP statement.

According to the CHP, the driver of a white Infiniti G37 was traveling between a Chevrolet and a semi truck when the Infiniti collided with the Chevrolet. The Chevrolet's driver lost control, crashed into a guardrail, and was then struck by the semi truck and by a Toyota Corolla. The Chevrolet's driver, a 56-year-old man, died at the scene. No one else was taken to a hospital.

Investigators said alcohol and drugs did not appear to be factors. The CHP asked anyone who saw the crash to contact its Contra Costa Area office in Martinez. KTVU and East County Today also reported on the fatal crash and the westbound closure that followed.

Why Highway 4 Through Antioch Is So Dangerous

Highway 4 is East County's main commuter and freight route, carrying passenger cars and big rigs through tight interchanges at Hillcrest Avenue, Lone Tree Way, and Contra Loma Boulevard. Our study of six years of fatal-crash data found that the Highway 4 corridor through Antioch and Pittsburg has the densest fatal-crash cluster in Contra Costa County.

When a crash involves a semi truck, the difference in size and weight means even a secondary impact can be deadly. This article does not assign blame. The CHP's account describes a chain of impacts, and how each driver's actions contributed is a question for the investigation.

What Families Should Know After a Fatal Crash Involving a Semi Truck

Multi-vehicle crashes that involve a commercial truck can involve several insurance policies, including commercial coverage that is often much larger than a personal auto policy. Trucks also generate evidence that passenger cars do not: engine control module data, dashcam and telematics footage, driver hours-of-service logs, and maintenance records. Much of that evidence can be lost if it is not requested quickly.

California allows close family members to bring a wrongful death claim, generally within two years. Our Antioch truck accident lawyer page explains how these cases work on the Highway 4 corridor, and our Antioch personal injury lawyer hub covers every type of case we handle in East County.