Victim in fatal crash on Golden State (5) Freeway identified as 20-year-old Burbank man
Traffic on both sides of the Golden State (5) Freeway, just north of the Ventura (134) Freeway, in Glendale have been shut down due to a fatal car accident, California Highway Patrol officials said.
A 20-year-old Burbank man was killed in a crash early Friday morning after he was ejected from his car onto a freeway sign on the Golden State (5) Freeway in Glendale.
Around 7 a.m., the driver, identified as Richard Pananian, was reportedly speeding down the 5 freeway approaching the Ventura (134) Freeway transition when his Ford Fiesta rear-ended a pick-up truck.
Investigators don't believe Pananian was wearing his seat belt, though the driver's seat was equipped with a five-point racing seat belt harness, said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Becky Lynch.
The impact caused his vehicle to flip multiple times up an embankment.Pananian was then ejected from the vehicle onto the overhang sign, while his car tumbled back down the embankment and came to a rest in the No. 3 lane, or the second lane to the right, Lynch said.
The driver of the pick-up truck was not injured and no other cars appeared to be involved.
For a short time, authorities shut down both sides of the freeway while officials conducted their investigation. Just after 11 a.m., all lanes were reopened.
Los Angeles coroner’s officials were on scene conducting the investigation.
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Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com
Twitter: @atchek
UPDATE
11:16 a.m.: This story was updated with new information after officials reopened the freeway.
1:42 p.m.: This story was updated with new information after officials identified the fatal crash victim.