Posted on 04/17/2015 1:14:18 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The crash near the interchange of the 118 and 210 freeways left others hospitalized in critical condition
A big rig driver suffered what authorities described as a "coughing attack" at the wheel before crashing off a Southern California freeway and slamming into a pickup in a fatal collision that involved several other vehicles.
The northern San Fernando Valley crash, which left four people hospitalized in critical condition, occurred under the 210 Freeway-118 Freeway interchange near the Paxton Street exit.
The big rig crashed off the 210 Freeway freeway and down an embankment before crossing an exit ramp and slamming into the pickup, killing its driver. The pickup, pushed onto its side in the crash, and a dump truck were stopped at an intersection before the crash.
"He had a coughing attack and lost control of his vehicle, causing it to veer to the right onto the shoulder and down the embankment," said CHP Officer Ming Hsu of the big rig driver.
The deceased victim was identified only as a man in his 30s.
A sport utility vehicle and another passenger vehicle also were involved in the series of collisions. Fire-rescue personnel extricated at least one person trapped in a vehicle.
Paxton Street exit ramps were still closed at midday for the investigation.
Must have opened his taxes owed statement and his Obamacare rate increase in the same day....
I guess he chocked...
I don’t buy that...
Perhaps he was a heavy smoker.
Happens all the time. The driver might have been eating, drinking and choked, gagged. Wasps fly into windows and drivers have been distracted and then die, along with others.
If he was distracted using a cell or another electronic devise, they’ll know it.
Time for a raft of new laws and safety measures.
I can see how it might happen. I once had a coughing spell while driving that was so bad I had to pull over.
I’ve had that happen to me in the grocery store. I sure am glad I was behind the wheel.
..........yeah, I can see it coming “Mothers Agains Coughs”............or MAC.............for short!
We had a man with a history of aggressive driving claim and win the agruement that he had a coughing spell that caused him to cross the median twice and somehow get his vehicle to do a complete 180 and slam into a family and killing 5sweet young children. Stupid jury. To this day I think there was morman on the jury who couldn’t convict their fellow Mormon.
One reason I never keep my windows open. Don’t want stinging insects in the car. Plus it screws up fuel mileage.
Had a truck driver with a “coughing spell” around here. He didn’t know when he left the highway that he ran over a car. His rig buried the car, and it wasn’t for 45 minutes that it was realized by authorities that he had flattened the car killing the driver. I wonder if a lot of these guys are falling asleep at the wheel. A rig rear ended a car on the Ohio turn pike last year. The car caught fire and killed the driver. It goes on and on.
Cept Reid.
He will lie, cheat, steal and impugn anyone’s character.
Because he is such an upright man himself.
But, he has his Temple recommend, so he is a “Worthy Mormon”
Currently, there's an epidemic of whooping cough in California.
Long time ago I was driving the middle lane of an interstate highway. I caught up to a tractor-trailer and started to pass on the left. The trailer started moving into the third lane. So I fell back and moved over to pass on the right lane. The trailer then moved into the right lane. I swore and moved back to the middle. Then I watched the trailer move into the breakdown lane and on into the ditch. I stopped to check out the driver. He had a stunned sleepy look.
Yep...There have been thousands of cases where a simple spilled drink, and or looking around for something in the vehicle turns into an utter fatal disaster. Throw in cell phones, a few curves in the road and it turns undivided highways into death zones. K walls save lives, but not all the time.
If I look away from my direction of travel, it’s for a slip second only. Gagging, coughing or health issues, one has to try to get off to the shoulder, and slow/stop as fast as possible, if possible.
Split second too!
A good TV show about accidents is “Collision”. It was on a few years ago. British.
.
I do not use my phone while driving. I pull over somewhere if i have to make a call.
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