Woman Killed, 4 Hurt as Car Hits Stalled Pickup on Freeway

A Huntington Beach man ran from his stalled pickup truck on the San Diego Freeway just moments before another driver struck his vehicle, killing one person and injuring four others, police said Tuesday.

Scott P. Biss, 24, abandoned his truck near the Brookhurst Street off-ramp after it suddenly stalled Monday night. He told California Highway Patrol investigators that he saw a vehicle approaching rapidly from behind.

The driver of the second vehicle in the accident was killed. Coroner’s officials identified the victim as Jeannette Miller, 27, of Long Beach.

Miller’s mother, Essie Crim, 57, was a passenger in the car. She was reported in fair condition at UCI Medical Center in Orange.

Three other passengers in the car--Tunena Lowden, 18; Kedrien Parris, 8, and Louis Burley, 19, all of Long Beach--were in fair or good condition Tuesday, hospital officials said.

Investigators on Tuesday were trying to determine if Biss had turned on his lights or any other warning signals before jumping from the pickup truck, said CHP Officer Lyle Whitten. Biss was not cited, pending the outcome of the CHP’s ongoing investigation, Whitten said.