Injured Tow Truck Driver Dies

For nearly two years, Ricardo Arturo Hernandez had been risking his life, helping stranded motorists while cars whizzed past him at hair-raising speeds.

Despite the dangers, the Freeway Service Patrol tow truck driver and father of a 1-year-old boy loved his job. And he was so good at it that last year he was recognized as a Driver of the Month by the California Highway Patrol.

But last week, something went horribly awry. The 24-year-old Alhambra man--who was always safety conscious, co-workers said--was hit by a car as he helped a driver with a flat tire on the side of the freeway.

After days of fighting for his life in intensive care, Hernandez died Thursday, becoming the first tow operator in the eight-year history of the Freeway Service Patrol to die in the line of duty.

The driver of the stranded car was not injured, because Hernandez--following procedures--had asked her to sit inside the cab of his truck where she could be protected, said Officer Bill Preciado, a spokesman for the CHP’s Southern Division.

“He’s a hero by putting his life on the line and doing his job. If he hadn’t arrived, she would’ve gotten hit,” he said.

The Los Angeles Freeway Service Patrol, which uses 150 tow trucks operated by contract drivers like Hernandez, is jointly managed by the CHP, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Caltrans. To relieve traffic congestion, the drivers patrol freeways during commuting hours to quickly repair or remove disabled vehicles.

The accident occurred June 7 about 6:30 p.m. near the end of a freeway curve, where the northbound Golden State Freeway makes the transition into the northbound Pasadena Freeway, according to the CHP.

Hernandez had parked his truck on a raised, triangular island between the freeway and a ramp.

“He was in the safest place you could be in the freeway,” said Mario Vera, manager of Al’s Towing, Hernandez’s employer.

After the woman got into the truck, Hernandez walked to its rear--perhaps to retrieve tools, CHP officers said. A Honda Civic, careening out of control, sideswiped the disabled vehicle, Hernandez and the tow truck.

The driver didn’t stop, CHP Sgt. Ernie Sanchez said. Francisco Ramos, 20, of Huntington Beach later turned himself in, Sanchez said. The CHP has recommended to the district attorney’s office that he be charged with manslaughter, felony hit-and-run and giving false information to officers. He was released from jail after posting a $35,000 bond.

At the hospital, doctors gave Hernandez a 5% chance of surviving, said his cousin, Gustavo Sanchez. The family kept vigil every day, sometimes spending nights at the hospital. In the end, “I guess he got tired of all those life support machines,” Sanchez said.

Hernandez’s family and co-workers described him as a loving father and a well-liked, hard-working man.

“We’re really hurting,” Sanchez said.