A 73-year-old San Diego man was killed early Saturday, September 12, 2026, after he stopped to help at the scene of a multi-vehicle crash on northbound Interstate 5 in Encinitas and was struck by another vehicle. The man, later identified as Berhane Woldemicael, had been involved in an initial collision involving at least three vehicles, including a black SUV, a Nissan Sentra and a Honda Civic, just north of Leucadia Boulevard. He got out of his car to render aid and was hit moments later. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:10 a.m.
According to The Coast News, the California Highway Patrol issued a SigAlert around 3:17 a.m. while officers investigated and freeway lanes were shut down for hours. The outlet reported that Woldemicael’s family described him as “truly a pillar of the Eritrean and Ethiopian communities,” and that he left behind a wife, six children and three grandchildren. CHP incident logs reviewed separately show the on-ramp and multiple freeway lanes near Leucadia Boulevard remained closed into the morning before the SigAlert was lifted shortly before 9 a.m. The California Highway Patrol continues to investigate the cause of the crash and has not released a cause or manner of death.
