3 Victims Identified in Fatal Truck Crash
Authorities on Friday identified three men killed when they were thrown from the dump truck they were traveling in after it rear-ended an 18-wheeler Thursday night on the Golden State Freeway south of Templin Highway.
Ignacio Basulto, 36, of Watsonville, Elias Castillo Chavez, 29, of Freedom, Calif., and Jermaine Andrew Henderson, 23, of Hemet died when their truck overturned and ejected them, officials said.
The dump truck was also loaded with an all-terrain vehicle and was towing a trailer carrying a bulldozer weighing more than 15,000 pounds when the accident occurred at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, California Highway Patrol Officer Wendy Moore said. The truck was traveling downhill about 65 mph when it struck the slower-moving 18-wheeler laden with restaurant condiments, also traveling south, Moore said.
A preliminary investigation indicates that the trailer’s brakes were not hooked to the dump truck, which could not handle the additional weight under braking, Moore said.
Debris, including the victims’ suitcases, cowboy hats and clothing, was scattered across the lanes, closing the freeway until 6 a.m. Friday, authorities said.
The driver of the semi-truck, Jarnail Singh, of Stockton, suffered no injuries. His truck received minor damage, Moore said.
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