Caltrans Driver Killed in Plunge Off Forest Road

A Caltrans employee was found dead Wednesday morning after his truck apparently tumbled down an embankment in the Angeles National Forest north of here, authorities said.

The man’s fellow employees drove along California 39 looking for him after he did not report to work Wednesday morning, said Caltrans representative Margie Tiritilli.

Authorities identified the victim as 46-year-old Charles Demming.

They found his truck about 300 feet down an embankment near mile marker 3487.

“He didn’t show up for work when he was due, and he was an employee you could always count on, so they went out looking for him,” Tiritilli said.

California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County fire crews were dispatched to the scene at 9:40 a.m., and Demming was declared dead, said county fire spokesman Henry Rodriguez.

It is unclear when or how the accident occurred on the windy mountain, but Tiritilli guessed that it happened while Demming drove home in the maintenance truck Tuesday night.

It was not raining at that time.

Demming worked as part of a road repair crew assigned to California 39 and drove a Caltrans truck between work and home to respond to emergency calls overnight, Tiritilli said.