Big rig crash closes 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar, one person dead
One man was killed and three men were injured Friday morning in a pileup involving three big rigs on the 60 Freeway.
The crash led to the closure of the eastbound 60 for several hours, and the temporary closure of the westbound lanes as well.
Coroner’s officials didn’t release the dead man’s name because his next of kin hasn’t been notified yet. The California Highway Patrol identified him as a 46-year-old Norco resident.
CHP Officer Kerri Rivas said a Ford F7000 box truck and a tractor trailer traveling on the eastbound 60, west of Phillips Ranch Road got into a minor collision at 11:03 a.m.
They pulled onto the freeway shoulder to exchange insurance information. The Ford’s driver, his two passengers and the big rig driver were standing between the vehicles.
A third truck carrying bananas and tomatoes came into view.
“For unknown reasons, (the driver) veers to the right and rear ends the parked big rig. The big rig lurches about 15 feet forward and crushes three of the four people,” Rivas said.
The third truck then veered to the left and overturned onto the freeway, spilling boxes of bananas across the lanes. Some fuel also spilled onto the freeway.
Rivas said the driver of the box truck was pronounced dead at the scene.
One of his passengers was able to jump out of the way and wasn’t hurt.
But the second passenger, 40-year-old Arnold Hutchinson of Mira Loma, ended up with major injuries. Rivas said Hutchinson was taken to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center then flown by helicopter to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center where he is in critical condition.
The driver of the parked big rig, 53-year-old Constantino Olmos of Riverside, also sustained major injuries. Olmos was taken by helicopter to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center and is in the intensive care unit, according to Rivas. He is listed in critical condition.
She said the man driving the third truck, Emilio Alvarez, 23, of South Gate, complained of pain and was treated at San Dimas Community Hospital.
The eastbound lanes of the 60 Freeway, from the 57 freeway to Phillips Ranch Road, were shut down. Traffic was diverted off the freeway.
Officials with the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office arrived at the scene about 2 p.m. to retrieve the body.
Coroner’s investigator Elissa Fleak said an autopsy is scheduled this Sunday.
The closure of the eastbound lanes resulted in a traffic jam stretching into Rowland Heights. Westbound lanes were closed for a short time to allow a rescue helicopter to land. Traffic was also jammed on the northbound 57 from Tonner Canyon Road.
The car pool lane, the No, 1 and 2 lanes were reopened at 5:55 p.m. All eastbound lanes were opened at 7:17 p.m.
Cause of the Diamond Bar Crash
While this devastating Diamond Bar accident remains under investigation, the family members of those accident victims who were fatally injured would be well-advised to speak with an understanding and knowledgeable California personal injury lawyer. An attorney such as Gary A. Kessler who has successfully handled wrongful death accidents can advise the victim’s family of their legal rights to hold the driver accountable and best course of action should they wish to pursue a wrongful death claim.
Fault and Wrongful Death Liability
Accidents involving big-rigs have unique and complex legal issues. If it is determined that the driver of the big-rig was at fault for this collision, the family of the victim would be well-advised to speak to a truck accident attorney. An experienced and knowledgeable attorney will be able to review the cause of the accident, and if warranted, arrange for an independent investigator to reconstruct the collision to determine exactly what happened and who was responsible. A skilled lawyer can also provide an explanation to the victim’s family on their legal rights in a wrongful death claim against the driver or any other parties at fault. Damages awarded in a wrongful death claim may include funeral and burial expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Demand accountability from the trucking company. We at the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler have handled complex trucking accident cases for twenty years. We have the litigation experience to handle complex trucking liability cases. We are prepared to front all costs required for the necessary investigation and expert witnesses needed to prepare your case for trial. Remember, the trucking industry are a formidable foe and must be fought against aggressively.
The laws regarding wrongful death/”trucking accident” cases are complex and include many facets of the law. It is vital to surviving family members to seek the advice of an experienced wrongful death/”trucking accident” lawyer such as Gary A Kessler at the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler to protect your legal rights and those of your loved ones.
Trucking accident attorney Gary A Kessler and the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler are compassionate and fully understand that you are attempting to cope with extreme grief and sorrow associated with the loss of a loved one. The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler carefully selects its “trucking accident” cases so that we may give you (the client) the substantial personal attention necessary to obtain a successful result for your “trucking accident” case.
The Law Offices of Gary A Kessler is prepared to front all costs required for a thorough investigation and expert witnesses to prepare for trial of your case. As in all wrongful death and serious personal injury cases, we advance all legal costs to prepare and present our client’s claim, and receive for our services only a percentage of what we recover for our attorney fees on their behalf. Upon settlement our costs shall be reimbursed to us from the gross recovery. If there is no recovery, no attorneys fees or costs are owed to our firm.
If you have been seriously injured or a family member sustained fatal injuries involving a tractor-trailer rig you need to contact the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler or another experienced law firm immediately to protect your rights and preserve the evidence. The laws and time limitations can be complex so protect your legal rights by contacting the Law Offices of Gary A Kessler today.
