North Hollywood Man Dies in I-10 Accident

An argument between a North Hollywood man and his girlfriend ended in death early Monday morning when their speeding car swerved into the center divider on the San Bernardino Freeway near El Monte, ejecting the man and killing him, the California Highway Patrol said.

The 58-year-old victim, whose name was withheld pending notification of next of kin, was a passenger in the car as it traveled east at 70 m.p.h., said Carl Bowman, a CHP accident investigator. He said the victim was thrown out of the door on the passenger side.

The victim was taken to Queen of the Valley Hospital in West Covina where he died less than two hours after the 3 a.m. accident.

The driver, 39-year-old Dora Martinez, of Lakewood, was taken to County-USC Medical Center’s jail ward suffering from a broken right wrist and facial cuts. She was arrested for manslaughter and felony drunk driving, Bowman said.

Bowman said the woman told officers that she and the victim had been arguing as they drove.

“She told us the argument became violent and that’s all she remembers. She said she doesn’t remember the accident,” Bowman said. “Apparently she made a semi-sharp left turn, drove across the fast lane and hit head-on into the guard rail.”

Investigators had not determined how or why the car turned into the center divider, Bowman said.