6,500 Gallons of Molasses Spilled by Tractor Trailer in Merced-Area Fatal Crash on SR 165

Last Updated on December 27, 2022 by C-CAR

A tractor trailer and van collided Tuesday evening in a wreck that left one person dead and State Route 165 shut down.

The big rig spilled its load, 6,500 gallons of Molasses onto the roadway and a nearby apartment complex in the crash that was reported at about 5:41 p.m. on Sr 165 in the Merced area.

Police said a 28-year-old driver was waiting to make a left turn when his vehicle was rear-ended by a tow truck.

The the crash pushed that car into the big rig, which, was driving in the opposite lane of traffic, creating a head-on collision.

The driver died at a local hospital.

State Route 165 was shut down for several hours as crews worked to clean up the mess.

No.: 00258

Time: 5:41 PM

Type: Fatality

Location: Sr165 / American Ave

Location Desc:

Area: Merced

Coordinates: 37.411510 -120.850022

Details: Detail Information
9:51 PM 43 [92] 64-S2 SR165 WILL REMAIN CLOSED FRM AMERICAN TO AUGUST UNTIL CLEAN UP IS COMPLETED
9:50 PM 42 [91] 64-S2 CT HAS CLOSURE IN PLACE AS THE CLEAN UP CREW IS CLEAINING UP AND WILL CONTACT DISP WHEN RE-OPENED
9:44 PM 41 [90] B64-001 64-1 FOLLOWING MERCED CITY AND ALL WAYS TOW TO THE MERCED CITY TOW YARD
8:31 PM 40 [85] B64-165 LAST LINE TOW TRK DRIVER //REQG 29 CHECK //NOT OTA SEND INFO TO MDC
8:11 PM 39 [78] PER ALL WAYS, THE DRVR IS A BLOCK AWAY
8:10 PM 38 [77] 64-S2 INQ ETA FRM ALL WAYS
7:57 PM 37 [76] 64-S2 ETA FOR 140-D9//140-D9 GOING 97 NOW
7:18 PM 36 [65] B64-001 CT 97 GETTING HARD CLOSURE PUT UP
7:11 PM 35 [64] [Rotation Request Comment] 1039 ALL WAYS TOW LIVINGSTON HEAVY EVID 209-394-7699
7:10 PM 34 [63] 1039 64-S2 AFFIRM HAVE ALL WAYS H PICK UP 1185FB AT EVID TOW AND TAKE TO MERCED CITY TOW YARD
7:10 PM 33 [62] [Notification] [CHP]-RIGGS ADVS WESTSIDE 88 W/ MERCY 32 FLIGHT CREW TO EMANUEL MEDICAL CENTER [Shared]
7:05 PM 32 [61] MYERS ENRT FOR THE SEMI LOADED W/ MOLASSESS – COMPANY REACHED OUT DIRECTLY
7:03 PM 31 [60] 1039 MERCED CITY AFFIRM CAN TAKE IT IN THEIR YARD
7:01 PM 30 [59] B64-591 SEE IF ALL WAYS CAN TOW HEAVY EVID TO MERCED CITY TOW YARD
7:00 PM 29 [57] 1039 ALL WAYS CAN HANDLE EVID BUT WANT TO KNOW WHERE CHP WANTS IT TOWED
7:00 PM 28 [56] MERCED CITY IS EVID TOW CAN NOT HANDLE 1185H
6:52 PM 27 [55] AG NOTIFIED ON SCENE AG TOW BACK ON TOP
6:51 PM 26 [54] [Rotation Request Comment] 1039 MERCED CITY TOW 209-383-7700 W/ EVID
6:50 PM 25 [52] B64-591 1022 AG //UNIT WILL ADVSG ON SCENE //START EVID TOW
6:39 PM 24 [48] 64-S2 SB TRAFFIC WILL BE OPPOSITE OF LINE 47
6:39 PM 23 [47] 64-S2 DETOUR INFO NB TRAFFIC TO WB AMERICAN TO NB COLUMBUS TO EB AUGUST BACK TO SR165
6:37 PM 22 [46] 1039 ALL WAYS F/1022
6:16 PM 21 [38] [Rotation Request Comment] 1039 AG TOW HILMAR 209-582-3521
6:16 PM 20 [37] B64-165 START 1185 FOR SD
6:12 PM 19 [34] 1039 RIGGS IS HAVING WESTSIDE 1141 HANDLE RUN#53565 AND RUN#03604374 //RIGGS WILL CB W/ WHERE PRTY ENDED UP BEING TRANSPORTED TO
6:09 PM 18 [32] [Rotation Request Comment] 1039 ALL WAYS TOWING LIVINGSTON 209-394-7699 W/H
6:08 PM 17 [31] 1185 FOR FB TOW TRK HAS TOTAL FRONT END DMG 19,000 LBS
6:05 PM 16 [29] B64-591 6500 GALLONS OF MOLASSESS SPILL ON RDWY- SHOULDER AND FRONT YARD OF APT COMPLEX
5:59 PM 15 [26] 1039 CT
5:58 PM 14 [23] B64-165 1181 POSS 1180 3 VEHS 1185 /SEMI/SD
5:58 PM 13 [22] 1039 CALFIRE ADVSG 1 PATIENT NEEDS IMMEDIATE TRANSPORT W/HEAD INJURY W/C SPINE PRECAUTIONS
5:55 PM 12 [21] B64-591 ADVS CT MAY BE NEEDED FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL
5:54 PM 11 [20] B64-165 INQG EXTENT OF INJURY
5:52 PM 10 [17] [Notification] [CHP]-[14] [Appended, 17:52:07] [1] SEMI IS LOADED W/ MOLASSESS AND LEAKING ON RDWY [Shared]
5:52 PM 9 [16] 1039 CT
5:51 PM 8 [14] [Appended, 17:52:07] [1] SEMI IS LOADED W/ MOLASSESS AND LEAKING ON RDWY
5:43 PM 7 [11] 1039 CDF [Shared]
5:42 PM 6 [9] TRAFFIC IS BACKING UP
5:42 PM 5 [8] ALONG W/ THE SEMI
5:42 PM 4 [7] THERE IS ALSO AN 1185 TOWING A VAN INVOLVED
5:42 PM 3 [3] SEMI LEAKING
5:42 PM 2 [2] 1125 BOTH LANES NB AND SB
5:41 PM 1 [1] SEMI VS 1185
Unit Information
9:48 PM 19 Unit Cleared
7:57 PM 18 Unit At Scene
7:20 PM 17 Unit Enroute
7:20 PM 16 Unit Assigned
9:50 PM 15 Unit Cleared
6:34 PM 14 Unit At Scene
6:15 PM 13 Unit Enroute
6:15 PM 12 Unit Assigned
11:14 PM 11 Unit Cleared
5:52 PM 10 Unit Enroute
5:52 PM 9 Unit Assigned
10:38 PM 8 Unit Cleared
5:56 PM 7 Unit At Scene
5:46 PM 6 Unit Enroute
5:46 PM 5 Unit Assigned
8:19 PM 4 Unit Cleared
6:01 PM 3 Unit At Scene
5:43 PM 2 Unit Enroute
5:43 PM 1 Unit Assigned


Please accept our sincerest condolences. As you navigate this deeply difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with you, the victims and their loved ones who died in roadway tragedies.

While you take care of yourself and your family, let the legal team at Rafii & Associates, P.C. fight for you. Our personal injury attorneys have decades of experience extracting multi-million dollar settlements from the largest insurance companies. If you or your loved ones were harmed by an auto accident, call us today for a free evaluation of your case: 1-800-262-9885. Hablamos Español, para asistencia inmediata, llámenos.


Free Evaluation


If you or a family member suffered injuries in an auto crash, the award-winning team of personal injury attorneys at Rafii & Associates, P.C. will review your case free of charge. Simply fill out the form below or give us a call toll free at 1-855-468-4482.

Hablamos Español, para asistencia inmediata, llámenos: 1-855-468-4482.

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