Motorist Found Dead in Channel

A motorist was found dead Saturday afternoon in the Arroyo Seco flood control channel after his car apparently ran off the Pasadena Freeway in Montecito Heights and overturned, authorities said.

Although the crash was believed to have occurred shortly after midnight, the car was not discovered until 1 p.m., said California Highway Patrol Officer Phil Jernigan.

The man, whose name was withheld, was in the driver’s seat wearing a seat belt when his car was discovered, Jernigan said. The driver was believed to have been traveling north on the Pasadena Freeway and missed the Avenue 43 off-ramp.

Rain did not appear to have been a factor in the crash. The car came to rest on a dry section of the channel. The man appeared to have died of massive head injuries, Jernigan said.