Bay Bridge toll taker killed
A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter Saturday after crashing a rented box truck into a Bay Bridge tollbooth, killing the attendant inside, the California Highway Patrol said.
The driver was identified as Daniel Berk, 32, of Foster City. He was badly hurt in the crash and was being treated at Highland Hospital in Oakland, along with a passenger and occupants of five cars that were hit before the truck demolished a tollbooth on the north side of the plaza at 5:11 a.m.
The tollbooth attendant, 46-year-old Caltrans employee Si Si Han, was killed. Berk and his passenger were ejected as the truck was split apart, and debris was strewn across the north side of the toll plaza.
CHP Officer Vu Williams said the truck was filled with what he described as lighting or sound equipment. After hitting the five other vehicles, it plowed through the barrier in front of Lane 15 and hit the tollbooth.
The damage was substantial. “I’ve never seen this,” Williams said. “I’ve seen them damage the booth before. Never to this extent.” Williams said that this is the first fatality involving a toll plaza worker in his nine years with the CHP.
Berk’s condition has stabilized but he is still being hospitalized, Williams said. Williams did not know the condition of the five other people who were taken to the hospital after the crash.
He said he did not have an estimate of how fast the truck was driving when the collision occurred. But “it wasn’t slow speed,” Williams said.
The CHP did not immediately say whether the substance Berk was suspected of using was alcohol or drugs.
Berk, according to LinkedIn, works as a stage tech engineer. On Facebook, he lists himself as a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 16 in San Francisco.
A person who answered a phone that belongs to a relative of Berk’s said, “I’m sorry, we’re not going to be giving any comment at this time.”
The truck had been rented from Monarch Truck Center in San Jose, said Steve Russler, an employee with the company. He declined to give any other information.
Gov. Jerry Brown released a statement saying he and his wife, Anne Gust Brown, “are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Caltrans toll collector Si Si Han, who died today while serving the traveling public. On behalf of all Californians, we extend our condolences to her family, co-workers and friends.”
Han worked as a Caltrans toll taker for a decade, said agency spokesman Bob Haus. She is survived by her husband, Ryan Saw, and a 10-yearold daughter, Ashly.
Six toll lanes heading westbound — Nos. 12 through 17 — and the northern FasTrak and bus lanes were closed into the evening. The northbound Interstate 880 connector to westbound Interstate 80 was also shut down. All lanes were reopened by Saturday night, said Caltrans spokesman Bob Haus. By Monday morning, officials hoped to reopen three of the four damaged tollbooths, but the remaining booth that was completely wiped out by the crash will take much longer to repair, Haus said.