A man was killed after a fatal hit and run involving a big rig on Interstate 5 just south of Templin Highway in the late hours of Friday night, according to officials with the California Highway Patrol Newhall-area Office.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office on Monday morning identified the man who died as a 22-year-old Altadena resident.
Initial reports were that the deceased was a woman before the Medical Examiner confirmed the victim was a man: Alejandro Covarrubias, 22, of Altadena, was killed in the hit and run, according to Kelly Vail, spokeswoman for the Medical Examiner.
Ana Iscoa, Covarrubias’ older sister, said that his girlfriend and Covarrubias were on their way home from Yosemite National Park when the incident happened.
Covarrubias pulled to the emergency lane on southbound I-5 between Lake Hughes Road and Templin Highway to change the driver’s side back tire, grabbed his tools and assured his girlfriend that he was OK. However, his girlfriend felt the impact in the car when Covarrubias got hit, Iscoa said.
She added that Covarrubias was then dragged by a big rig 10 feet from his car and the big rig its hazards on but did not stop driving.
His girlfriend ran to him – begging for him to hold on.
“He held out his hand and grabbed her while he was struggling to breathe. And she said that, it looked like he wanted to say something, and then he passed. She was able to call 911, and have a patrol show up, and he was already gone by that time,” Iscoa said during a phone interview Monday afternoon.
CHP units were called to the scene of a vehicle versus pedestrian collision on the I-5 just south of Templin Highway at approximately 11:20 p.m., Officer Carlos Burgos-Lopez, public information officer for CHP Newhall-area Office, said on Saturday afternoon.
Upon arrival, CHP officers located a white Toyota Corolla parked on the right shoulder and a person who appeared to be in their early 20s. The victim was pronounced dead by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Burgos-Lopez added during Saturday’s initial reports.
When asked to describe her brother, Iscoa got emotional but remained strong.
“He was a caregiver. He worked with senior citizens in the same place where my mom worked before she died, and I used to also work there. He was always very silly, joking. He always brightened up the room,” Iscoa said.
She added that Covarrubias was the kind of person that if he saw someone crying, he would find a way to comfort them and was always loving to everyone.
“He loved cars a lot … he was looking into furthering his education to provide medical care to other people in the future. He was a good kid. He’s always been a good kid since he was a little boy, quiet at first and shy, but he grew up with a lot of personality,” Iscoa said.
Thinking about memories of Covarrubias, she had one come to mind from Valentine’s Day.
“The last thing I remember was, it was a family member’s birthday party on Valentine’s Day, and he had just gone out of work, (an) 11 hour shift, and he came with such high spirits, because we were all gloomy,” Iscoa said. “My mom passed away eight months ago. We’re really gloomy. And he came in, and we all sang karaoke together, and he saw us all sad. And that’s, like, the most beautiful thing, the last memory I have of him.”
Witnesses sought, GoFundMe page created
Burgos-Lopez is asking for possible witnesses to contact the CHP Newhall office at 661-600-1600 and request to speak to Officer I. Rojas, who is leading the investigation.
If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call Crime Stoppers by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477). People may use their smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile App on Google Play or the Apple App Store, or visit: lacrimestoppers.org.
During a phone interview on Monday afternoon, Burgos-Lopez added that the big rig may have had Amazon markings on it.
To support Covarrubias’ family, the GoFundMe page can be found at tinyurl.com/25j5dt77.
