Burbank Man Killed in 605 Crash

A Burbank man was killed when an alleged drunk driver caused a four-car crash early Friday morning on the San Gabriel River Freeway in Whittier, the California Highway Patrol said.

Melvin Mendivil, 37, was driving his Chevrolet Blazer north on the freeway, officials said, when he pulled over to the shoulder because of engine problems.

His brother, Jose Rocha, 34, was driving a Ford pickup behind Mendivil and also pulled over, officers said.

According to the CHP’s preliminary investigation, Brandon Houlette, 20, was driving his Ford pickup at 70 mph.

His vehicle veered to the right shoulder, where it struck the rear of Rocha’s truck. Rocha’s truck hit Mendivil’s Blazer, which ran over Mendivil and killed him. Mendivil was pronounced dead at 3 a.m.

The collision also sent Rocha and his truck into the northbound freeway lanes, authorities said.

Another driver, Gordon Din, hit the pickup truck and ignited a fire, the CHP said. Rocha was taken to Beverly Hospital in Montebello. He was listed in critical condition.

Both Din, 19, and Houlette suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

CHP officers arrested Houlette on suspicion of felony manslaughter and driving under the influence.

This was the second of two accidents on this stretch of the 605 Freeway in two days.

Just before 3 a.m. Thursday, a 39-year-old Long Beach woman was killed and her four children were injured when their Ford Focus was struck head-on by an alleged drunk driver traveling the wrong way on the freeway near Rose Hills Road in Pico Rivera, the CHP said.

Gaspar Angulo, 21, was driving the Nissan Maxima that hit the Ford Focus. The CHP said he was arrested on suspicion of felony vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence and hit and run.