California Highway Patrol officers are investigating the death of a man whose body was found Wednesday morning in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 in Santa Clarita.
CHP officers and L.A. County Fire Department officials responded to a call at approximately 4:52 a.m. near Lyons Avenue, according to Josh Greengard, spokesman for the Newhall-area CHP office, where they “located a human body within the northbound lanes, deceased.”
A male pedestrian was struck multiple times while crossing the northbound lanes on foot, Greengard said, adding that multiple vehicles stopped to assist in the responding officers’ investigation.
Officers are not sure at this time why the man was crossing the road, according to officers, who noted there did not appear to be a disabled vehicle nearby where the man was found.
The incident is not believed to be a criminal matter at this time, according to officials.
“Pedestrians are not supposed to be walking on the freeway at any time of the day,” Greengard said, alluding to the fact that it also was likely dark out when the collision occurred, making his path particularly perilous.
Rush-hour traffic was impacted for several hours on the busy thoroughfare during the course of officers’ initial look into the collision.
“Between the hours of 5:10 (a.m.) and 6:20 a.m. we had a full freeway closure,” Greengard said, “and then at 6:20 we were able to open the No. 3 and 4 lanes, the slower lanes, the right lanes. And then at 9 o’ clock we were able to open the whole freeway.”
The identity of the pedestrian has not yet been released pending the notification of the next of kin.
