Off-duty officer, man die in crash
A 55-year old off-duty police officer and an 18-year-old male were killed early Wednesday in a crash on the 60 Freeway, authorities said.
The incident started when a minivan driven by an unlicensed 15-year-old was involved in a single-vehicle accident and came to a stop in the fast lane of the eastbound 60 just west of South Hacienda Boulevard, according to a California Highway Patrol report.
The driver and four passengers got out of the minivan and began walking in front of the vehicle next to the freeway’s center divider. About 12:40 a.m., Lt. Gilbert L. Valderrama, a 19-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Police Department, was driving home from work when he crashed into the disabled van.
Valderrama, 55, of Montclair, died at the scene after he was ejected from his overturned SUV, officials said. An 18-year-old Ontario man, who was a passenger in the minivan, was killed when he was struck by the minivan, which was pushed forward by the impact of the crash.
The accident shut down several lanes of traffic in both directions for about three hours.
-- Francisco Vara-Orta
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