A man was fatally struck on northbound Interstate 805, near Kearny Mesa, Friday afternoon, causing road closures for several hours in the area.
Around 12 p.m., a Freightliner semi-truck and an Acura sedan were involved in a minor collision that only caused property damage on I-805, south of the westbound State Route 52 entrance lane.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the driver of the Freightliner truck moved the vehicle to the safety area between the main lanes of I-805 and the SR-52 transition. Meanwhile, the Acura driver pulled over to the right shoulder of the transition.
The Acura driver exited their vehicle to speak with the Freightliner semi-truck driver, crossing the transition lanes to make contact, as reported by CHP Public Information Officer Jesse Matias.
After discussing the collision with the truck driver, the Acura driver attempted to return to their vehicle and crossed into lane #1 of the SR-52 entrance, where they were struck by a white Ford pickup truck.
The Acura driver, identified by Matias as a 62-year-old man from San Diego, was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel. Their identity has not yet been disclosed by authorities. No other injuries have been reported in the incident.
The pickup truck driver remained at the scene after the collision, according to CHP.
The right lane on northbound I-805, south of Governor Drive, and the westbound SR-52 entrance were closed for two hours while authorities investigated the collision. All lanes have since been reopened.
At this time, authorities state that it is unknown whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the collisions. A toxicology report is pending through the County Medical Examiner's Office.
The cause of the collision and the sequence of events remain under investigation by the CHP office in San Diego.
Following the incident, CHP officials are warning drivers about the dangers of exiting their vehicles while on the highway.
"When a collision occurs, we always tell people to stay in their car, to remain in a safe place. Wait for us to arrive and we can stop people with our lights," said CHP Sergeant Hope Maxson.
Authorities recommend that drivers involved in a traffic collision on a highway try to exit at the nearest off-ramp. If that is not possible, CHP encourages calling 911 to dispatch officers who can use their equipment and training to keep the accident scene safe for everyone involved.
Originally posted at Abogados de Accidentes
