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Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Car Accident Kills Minivan Driver in 10 Freeway in El Monte

The accident happened on the westbound 10 Freeway near El Monte Tuesday morning.

A motorist and his dog were killed today when the minivan the man was driving slammed into a sign-control truck in a construction zone on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway in El Monte, slightly injuring two Caltrans contract workers, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The crash occurred at 4:08 a.m. on the westbound 10 Freeway just east of Peck Road, CHP Officer Patrick Kimball said.

The 32-year-old man died at the scene, said coroner's Chief Craig Harvey. Authorities withheld his name pending notification of his relatives.

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The man's pit bull terrier also was killed, the CHP reported.

According to the preliminary investigation, one contract worker was driving the flatbed truck in reverse and the other worker was in the back picking up traffic cones when the apparently speeding minivan slammed into the vehicle, the CHP reported.

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The crash closed all but one lane of the westbound side of the freeway, backing up traffic for several miles. All lanes were reopened by about 10:30 a.m.

It was the second freeway crash involving Caltrans contract workers within two days.  

Early Sunday, a roughly 3:35 a.m. collision between two alleged drunken drivers sent a vehicle out of control and into a construction zone, killing two members of a construction crew.

The workers were identified as Ramon Lopez, 56, of Chino Hills and Ricardo Zamora, 58, of Winchester in Riverside County. Both worked for Caltrans contractor.

CHP officers said a blue Ford Explorer driven by Yocio Jonathan Gomez, 33, of Norwalk, smashed into the rear of a black Lexus RX-350 SUV driven by Stephan Christopher Caserta, 43, of Playa Vista, Conley said.

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