Yountville, CA – On the afternoon of Tuesday, April 7, 2026, a big rig-versus-pedestrian collision resulted in a fatality on southbound State Route 29 near Hoffman Lane, according to CHP Fatal.
The California Highway Patrol reports that the accident took place around 12:18 PM.
Authorities said a male pedestrian in his late 20s to early 30s was allegedly in the middle of the lane when he was struck by a Peterbilt big rig, which came to rest on the right shoulder following the impact.
All southbound lanes of State Route 29 were shut down and a SigAlert was issued with an estimated duration of three hours. Caltrans was notified and responded with a hard closure, arriving approximately 30 minutes after initial notification. The Sheriff’s Department assisted with traffic control while southbound vehicles were cleared from the scene. The roadway was fully reopened at approximately 2:18 PM, and the SigAlert was subsequently cancelled.
No additional details regarding the identity of the deceased had been released at the time of reporting. The investigation remains ongoing.
Partial Liability in Pedestrian Accidents
California Law does not consider pedestrians to have the right-of-way under all circumstances, such as when they attempt to cross outside of a crosswalk. However, motorists are never relieved of the expectation to provide pedestrians with a duty of care toward their safety.
It may therefore be determined that a motorist is subject to partial liability in a pedestrian accident. Should that be the case, they would be financially responsible for the victim’s recovery costs in proportion to their degree of liability.
