Man Killed While Crossing Freeway

A Yorba Linda man was killed Friday while crossing the freeway to help another motorist involved in a three-vehicle accident, California Highway Patrol officials said.

Richard Craig Rulon, 59, and two other drivers had collided in the westbound lanes of the Riverside Freeway near the Gypsum Canyon exit, CHP spokeswoman Angel Johnson said. The accident occurred at 9:55 a.m. when traffic suddenly stopped near a construction area.

Rulon apparently rear-ended a pickup truck, causing it to spin out of control to the left and hit the center divider, Johnson said. Rulon pulled over to the right shoulder and tried to cut through oncoming traffic to get to the disabled pickup.

“He walked into the slow lane and kept walking and was struck by a Ford van,” Johnson said.

Rulon was taken to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Anaheim where he died at 10:46 a.m., CHP officials said.

Johnson said freeway collisions pose a particular hazard and stressed that “any time anyone is involved in an accident, do not get out of your car. When you get out of your car, you are risking your life.”