One Dies in Fatal Crash on I-5 near El Tejon School

FRAZIER PARK, CA — On November 9, 2009 at approx. 5:04 AM a 23-year-old Bakersfield man was driving his 1990 Toyota Pickup Northbound on I-5 near the Fort Tejon Road over crossing. For reasons unknown at this time, he allowed his vehicle to drift onto the right shoulder. He then turned sharply to the left and lost control of his vehicle as it crossed all lanes of northbound I-5 in a westerly direction and collided with the concrete center divider wall just north of the Fort Tejon Over Crossing. After colliding with the concrete wall, his vehicle was propelled back into the #2 lane of northbound I-5 and into the path of a farm laborer truck, which was also northbound on I-5 in the #2 lane. The driver of the farm laborer truck, Arnulfo T. Torrez, 40 of Ontario, was unable to avoid a collision with Vehicle 1 as the right front of Vehicle 2 struck the driver's door of Vehicle 1. Vehicle 1 then came to rest in the #4 lane of northbound I-5 facing in a north easterly direction with V-2 coming to a stop north of the scene on the right hand shoulder. The 36 passengers, who were all farm laborers and the driver, were not injured. The passengers then left the scene on a second Farm Labor Bus, which arrived after the accident. The driver of the pickup sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

This investigation is ongoing and at this point any involvement of alcohol is unknown.

Identification of the deceased is pending notification of next of kin.

This is part of the November 6, 2009 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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