SANTA PAULA : La Canada Man Dies in Freak Accident

A freak automobile crash along California 126 about 1 1/2 miles west of the Los Angeles County line killed a Los Angeles man and seriously injured two others early Wednesday, the California Highway Patrol said.

Alfred Merkel, 64, of La Canada was towing a boat trailer westbound about 7:50 a.m. when a wheel from the trailer came loose and rolled across the roadway, the CHP said.

Luis Ceja, 32, of Santa Paula, who was driving east, lost control of his vehicle as he swerved to miss the wheel.

The CHP said he and his passenger, 14-year-old Luis Ceja of Santa Paula, were ejected and suffered major injuries when their Datsun went airborne and came down on a third car. Neither was wearing a safety belt.

John Pfaffinger, 61, died on the way to Santa Paula Memorial Hospital after Ceja’s vehicle landed on his Cadillac, the CHP reported.

Pfaffinger’s passenger, 55-year-old Thomas Greene, also of Los Angeles, was treated at Santa Paula Memorial Hospital for minor injuries and later released, the CHP said.

The elder Ceja was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital in Valencia, where he was listed in fair condition late Wednesday. The boy was flown by a Ventura County Sheriff’s Department helicopter to Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, where he was listed in critical condition.

Another passenger in the Ceja vehicle, Ernest Ruiz of Santa Paula, was treated at Santa Paula Memorial Hospital and released, officials said.

Merkel pulled over immediately when he realized what happened, and his car was struck by the out-of-control Cadillac, the CHP reported. He was not injured.

It was unclear Wednesday whether the CHP would recommend that any charges be filed against Merkel.