Big Rig Hits and Kills Tow Truck Driver on 10 Freeway in Whitewater
Posted on August 10, 2018 Written By: iadminlaw
WHITEWATER, CA (August 8, 2018) — A big rig struck and killed a tow truck driver on the side of the 10 Freeway on the morning of Tuesday, August 7. The accident occurred a little after 9:00 a.m. on the westbound side of the freeway, California Highway Patrol said, west of Haugen-Lehmann Way.
Responders found the victim, who was described as a 50 year old resident of Cabazon, lying on the freeway, partly in the slow lane.
The tow truck driver had been working on duty with a local company, called Stagecoach Towing, Officer Darren Meyer with California Highway Patrol said. The tow truck driver parked his vehicle—a flatbed tow truck—on the freeway’s north shoulder, and exited the truck. At this time, it is not known why the driver stopped there. No vehicles that needed service were at the accident scene.
As the tow truck driver was attempting to re-enter his vehicle, he was hit, and the open door was hit, by a semi truck. The driver of the semi truck was identified as Marco Rodriguez, a 52 year old resident of Riverside. According to reports, Rodriguez’s vehicle traveled onto the shoulder where the tow truck, and its driver, where located.
The impact of the collision threw the victim from the tow truck’s side, and he landed on the slow lane. A driver who had been passing by stopped, and pulled the injured tow truck driver off of the lanes of the freeway.
The tow truck driver was pronounced deceased at the accident scene. His identity has not yet been released.
Officer Meyer said drugs and alcohol were excluded as causes of the accident. No arrests were reported.
Investigators from the California Highway Patrol also made an inspection of the mechanical condition of the semi at their Desert Hills Inspection Facility. Findings from that inspection were not yet reported.
Investigators are continuing their examination of the accident to determine what caused it.
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