Victim in Loader Accident Identified

Officials from the Ventura County coroner’s office released the name of a man killed Monday evening when a front-end loader he was driving flipped over and crushed him.

Cruz Hernandez, 44, who lived and worked on a ranch off Santa Paula-Ojai Road, died of head and chest injuries at the scene, said Deputy Coroner Jim Wingate.

Hernandez, who is survived by a wife in Bakersfield, had just finished a day’s work and was driving the large vehicle down a hill on the ranch near Happy Valley School when he lost control and the overturned, officials said.