Produce Trucks Collide on Freeway; 2 Injured

Two people were injured when two produce trucks collided on the Golden State Freeway near Templin Highway on Saturday, spilling their loads of grapes across traffic lanes and shutting down part of the freeway for almost seven hours, authorities said.

Jose Avila was driving a truck loaded with grapes southbound at 3:45 a.m. when, for unknown reasons, he rear-ended a pickup truck from the same company that was also carrying grapes, California Highway Patrol Officer Chuck Cooper said.

Avila’s truck spun out of control and overturned, dumping the red seedless table grapes across three lanes, Cooper said.

The pickup truck also rolled and spilled its grapes.

The pickup truck driver fled the scene on foot, Cooper said.

Authorities do not know why the pickup truck driver, whose name was not released, ran off.

A Pontiac then struck the pickup truck, and that motorist drove off without stopping, he said.

Avila, 40, was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital in Santa Clarita with major injuries, said authorities.

His passenger, Augustine Estrada, 17, was taken to Northridge Hospital Medical Center in Northridge with major injuries.

Hospital officials refused to release Estrada’s condition.

Three of the four southbound lanes were closed for two hours following the accident.

The remaining lanes were opened by 10:30 a.m. after officials finished clearing the area of grapes, CHP officers said.

The drivers of the pickup truck and the Pontiac are wanted on suspicion of hit-and-run driving.