A big rig carrying 30,000 pounds of frozen chicken careened off Highway 99 Monday morning, landing on top of Fulkerth Road.

Fortunately, no one was on that stretch of Fulkerth Road as the truck plunged to the ground. The driver of the big rig, Ricardo Cinco, 52 of Atwater was pinned inside the big rig for a time, but was extricated and only had minor injuries, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Cinco was driving the big rig northbound on Highway 99 around 2:30 a.m. Monday. CHP spokesman Officer Thomas Olsen said Cinco fell asleep while driving, about 500 feet before the Fulkerth Road overpass.

The big rig started to veer off the highway, taking out about 200 feet of guardrail before falling onto the road below, Olsen said.

The impact sent frozen chicken all over the road, which prompted an extended clean-up operation. The Turlock Fire Department dealt with a diesel spill from the wreck. Fulkerth Road was closed until around 11 a.m. Monday.

The back-up on the highway caused a few minor collisions with no injuries.