A Beverly Hills runaway truck accident killed a truck driver on Friday. The fatal truck crash happened on a stretch of Loma Vista Drive, which was the site of a series of truck accidents that killed two Los Angeles police officers in 2014.
Two other recent California truck accidents in Sylmar and Montebello left one person dead and another with injuries.
Beverly Hills Runaway Truck Accident Site of Two Other Fatal Crashes
Los Angeles, California – January 15, 2016
A truck driver in his 20’s was killed on Friday when his vehicle crashed into a parked car at the bottom of a Beverly Hills street. The runaway truck accident was reported at around 8:20 a.m. on the 800 block of Loma Vista Drive.
Law enforcement officials said the truck collided with the parked car, then hit a tree before coming to a stop against a wall. The truck driver was pinned inside the vehicle and had to be extricated by emergency responders. The man was rushed to Cedars Sinai Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The identity of the deceased has not been released, pending notification of next of kin.
Friday’s Beverly Hills runaway truck accident occurred in the same area where two LAPD officers lost their lives in several 2014 truck crashes. On March 7, 2014, LAPD officer Nicholas Lee was killed after his patrol car was struck by a southbound truck. Chief of Police Charlie Beck said a preliminary investigation into the crash that killed officer Lee showed that the truck’s brakes may have failed prior to the fatal accident.
Officer Lee was a 16 year veteran with the LAPD, severing in the Van Nuys, Wilshire and Hollywood divisions throughout his career. According to Canyon News, he left behind a wife and two daughters.
Just two months after the crash that killed Nicholas Lee, a cement truck collided with the vehicle of LAPD Detective Ernest L. Allen Sr., who was off-duty when the accident occurred, was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. The 27-year LAPD veteran would later succumb to his injuries, leaving behind a fiance, his sister, two children, and two grandchildren.
In the wake of the 2014 crashes, the city of Beverly Hills suspended heavy truck deliveries on Loma Vista Drive for 30 days or until safety measures were put in place. Deeming it as a “public safety issue,” the city increased commercial vehicle enforcement in the area and issued a requirement that all heavy trucks passing through have secondary brake devices and carry proof of vehicle inspection.
At this time, authorities are uncertain what caused Friday’s accident. While it is still too early to speculate, the most common cause of a runaway truck accident is brake failure.
The Beverly Hills runaway truck accident remains under investigation.
Truck Plows Through Center Divider Into Oncoming Traffic, Injuring One Person
Montebello, California – January 5, 2016
A big rig plowed through the center divider of the 60 Freeway and entered oncoming traffic on Tuesday afternoon, injuring one person. The crash, which occurred at around 3:20 p.m. near Garfield Avenue in Montebello, snarled traffic for hours.
According to law enforcement officials, the truck was heading eastbound when for unknown reasons it crashed into the center median and overturned in westbound traffic lanes. In total, five to six other vehicles were affected by the Montebello accident.
At least one person was sent to an area hospital with injuries, according to My News LA. At this time, investigators are uncertain what caused the truck driver to crash into the center median. The crash investigation and cleanup are not expected to be completed until early Wednesday morning.
Son of Univision and Telemundo Anchor Dead in Big Rig Accident Near Newhall Pass
Sylmar, California – January 11, 2016
An accident involving a big rig and three other vehicles left one motorist dead in the late afternoon of Monday, January 11. The fatal truck crash happened at around 4:00 p.m. on the westbound 210 Freeway transition to Interstate 5 northbound in Sylmar.
According to NBC Los Angeles, the accident caused a 2002 Toyota Camry to flip over onto its roof. The driver of the Camry, 47-year-old Pablo Gratas of Valencia, was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders.
Pablo Gratas was the son of Enrique Gratas, who most recently anchored at Estrella TV in Los Angeles before he died of an undisclosed illness on October 8. Enrique Gratas, 71, was one of the most revered Spanish-speaking journalists.
The driver of the truck sustained minor injuries in the accident. No other injuries were reported.
The Sylmar accident brought rush-hour traffic to a standstill Monday night, as officials conducted an investigation and cleared the scene. All lanes reopened at around 9:30 p.m.
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