A single-vehicle crash off Highway 14 in Newhall prompted a response from firefighters and law enforcement Monday morning.
A sedan flipped onto the right shoulder of southbound Highway 14 just after 9 a.m., landing on the Placerita Canyon Road on-ramp, according to Officer Peter Nicholson of the California Highway Patrol’s Traffic Management Office.
“The call came in as a traffic collision with possible parties trapped, and as a result, we sent a full response,” said Sean Ferguson, a public information officer with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Once units arrived on the scene, the call was downgraded as no one was, in fact, trapped, Ferguson added.
Alvaro Menjivar, the driver and only occupant of the vehicle, said he had recently purchased some used tires.
“I was driving, and I started feeling a really bad vibration, (so) I slowed down,” he said. “I was in the middle lane (when) I just felt my back tire go and it just (blew). I couldn’t get control of the car.”
Menjivar believes his vehicle flipped at least twice before coming to a stop. “When I opened my eyes, I was already down (the hill).”
Afterward, he said he reflexively turned off the car and stereo.
“I was in shock that this happened, but I’m alive,” he said. “Thank God I’m safe… Somebody was taking care of me.”
Though shaken up, Menjivar was able to walk away from the incident with only some elbow pain.
The Placerita Canyon Road on-ramp remained closed as officials work to clear debris from the incident.
“They rolled a sweeper to get dirt and rocks cleaned up out of the area,” Nicholson added.
Signal Staff Writer Gilbert Bernal contributed to this report.
