1 ID’ed in fatal crash

29-year-old man ID’ed as person killed in weekend freeway collision

A single-vehicle traffic crash early Sunday morning killed a 29-year-old man from Canyon Country.

Omar Garcia was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1:01 a.m. Sunday, Sarah Ardalani, spokeswoman

for the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, said Monday morning.

An autopsy is pending, she said. The crash happened shortly after 12:30 a.m., when Garcia, driving a 1996 Nissan pickup truck southbound on Interstate 5, approached the transition to the southbound lanes of Highway 405, according to a news release issued Monday by California Highway Patrol Officer Josh Greengard.

For unknown reasons, the driver made an unsafe turning movement as he was transitioning onto I-405 southbound, drove the Nissan off the roadway onto the dirt embankment, located on the left side of the roadway, and overturned several times, according to the release.

A SIG-ALERT was issued for the I-5 southbound transition onto I-405 southbound for all lanes at about 12:50 a.m. It was canceled at about 5:30 a.m. when all lanes were opened.

It is unknown at this time if alcohol and/or drugs were a factor in this collision. However, a thorough investigation is ongoing, according to the investigating CHP officer.

Anyone with information regarding this crash is encouraged to contact the Newhall CHP Office at 661-294-5540