A 27-year-old Los Angeles man was killed on Interstate 5 early Monday morning after he crashed his car, exited the vehicle and was struck by a pickup truck, according to California Highway Patrol officials.
First responders were called to the scene at 3:13 a.m. Monday and the initial call was for a two-vehicle collision blocking freeway lanes on the I-5 near Highway 126, according to the CHP’s traffic information log. The fatal crash resulted in all southbound lanes being stopped and a SigAlert was issued at 3:29 a.m.
According to Officer Josh Greengard, spokesman for the CHP’s Newhall Office, the initial crash was actually a solo wreck in which the 27-year-old driver lost control of his 2010 Honda Civic.
“It ended up stationary,” Greengard said, adding that investigating officers believe the man was no longer in his vehicle when he was struck by a 2012 Chevrolet Colorado driven by a 31-year-old Simi Valley resident. “It was within seconds — another vehicle hit him.”
“Newhall Unit received a call of a traffic crash with an ambulance responding, with a party ejected,” the CHP statement said. “Units arrived on scene with Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel and located a male body within the southbound No. 1 and No. 2 lanes of southbound I-5 freeway, north of Rye Canyon Road.”
The statement said preliminary information indicated the Los Angeles man was driving his Honda southbound on I-5, north of Rye Canyon Road in the No. 1 (left) lane. Due to an unknown reason, the driver made an unsafe turning movement to the left and collided into the center divider concrete K-rail.
The crash caused the vehicle to deflect to the west, in front of the Simi Valley man, who was in the southbound No. 3 lane, the statement said. The front of the Chevrolet crashed into the left side of the Honda.
It was not immediately known if the driver of the pickup was impaired, according to the CHP statement.
The CHP issued a traffic advisory after the crash and one lane was reopened at 6 a.m. The SigAlert would last for nearly five hours before being canceled at 8:30 a.m. with all lanes reopened.
The collision is under investigation by the CHP’s Newhall Office. Any witnesses can contact the CHP’s Newhall office at 661-600-1600.