A 58-year-old Fresno man was killed Sunday afternoon after driving the wrong way on Highway 99 and colliding head-on with two vehicles, authorities said.

The Fresno County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office identified the man as Paul Nichelmann.

The California Highway Patrol said its Fresno dispatch center began receiving calls around 2 p.m. reporting a wrong-way driver traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of Highway 99 from Olive Avenue.

Moments later, additional calls reported a crash involving the vehicle south of Clinton Avenue.

Investigators determined the man was driving a Ford Ranger northbound in the far-left lane of southbound Highway 99 when it collided with a Ford Bronco driven by a 24-year-old woman and a Chevrolet Equinox driven by a 63-year-old woman, both traveling southbound.

The driver of the Bronco attempted to avoid the wrong-way vehicle but was unable to prevent a head-on crash. The Equinox was also unable to avoid the collision.

All three vehicles came to rest blocking the two left lanes of southbound Highway 99, CHP said.

The driver of the Ford Ranger was transported to Community Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The drivers of the Bronco and Equinox were taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries.

Authorities said it is unknown whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, pending toxicology results.

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