A 31-year-old father of three was killed early Thursday morning after the car he was riding in launched off a freeway transition road in Boyle Heights and became wedged beneath an overpass. The crash happened at about 2:15 a.m. on the ramp connecting the northbound 5 Freeway to the eastbound 10 Freeway. The victim’s uncle, who was behind the wheel of the white Kia sedan, survived the crash and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. The California Highway Patrol closed the transition road for several hours, triggering a SigAlert and delays on the 5, 10 and 60 freeways before all lanes reopened by around 7 a.m.
According to ABC7 Los Angeles, the victim’s brother said he had seen him just hours before the crash and described him as a devoted father who “didn’t deserve this.” The family has since started a fundraiser to help cover funeral costs for the man, who leaves behind a wife and three young children. CHP officials said the vehicle appeared to have been traveling at a high rate of speed before it left the roadway, though the exact cause of the crash remained under investigation as of Thursday afternoon. No further injuries were reported in connection with the crash.
