Glendale Runner Herrera Perishes in Freeway Crash

A 20-year-old motorist who died Monday in an accident on the rain-slickened Glendale Freeway has been identified by coroner’s officials as Pablo Herrera, a Glendale College distance runner.

Herrera, a 1989 graduate of Hoover High, was the Vaqueros’ top runner in the 10,000 meters, in which he had qualified for the Southern California regional finals.

Herrera was killed after his car skidded off the southbound on-ramp to the freeway at Mountain Street and plunged down a 50-foot embankment onto the freeway.

Herrera, who was alone, was “traveling too fast for the weather conditions” and missed by inches a guard rail that would have blocked his vehicle, California Highway Patrol spokeswoman Tami Low said.

CHP officers said that all four tires on the car, a 1979 Pontiac Grand Prix, were bald.

Ed Lopez, Glendale’s distance coach, learned of the tragedy from track Coach Tom McMurray on Tuesday. Lopez had attempted to reach Herrera on Monday.

“He had a political science class from 10 to 11,” Lopez said. “A kid in the class who is also on the team said Pablo went home for lunch. He didn’t come back and I knew something was wrong. He never misses practice. Never.”