Tow truck driver and stranded motorist killed in crash on I-15 freeway near Baker

BAKER, Calif. (VVNG.com) — A tow truck driver helping a stranded motorist were both killed in a traffic accident along the 15 freeway early Thursday morning near the town of Baker.

It happened at about 5:17 AM on July 30, 2020, on the southbound 1-15, south of Rasor Road.

According to a California Highway Patrol news release, a 23-year-old Apple Valley man was driving a 2013 Freightliner, hauling two bottom-dump trailers at speeds of 55 miles per hour. “For reasons still under investigation, the driver allowed the truck tractor-trailer combination to leave the #2 lane and travel onto the west shoulder of Interstate 15 southbound,” stated the CHP release.

At this time, a 43-year old male tow truck driver from Barstow, associated with a 2004 GMC tow truck, was providing assistance to a 39-year old male from Cleveland, Ohio, with a flat tire on a 2002 Chevrolet.

CHP said the GMC tow truck and the Chevrolet occupied by a female and two juveniles were both parked on the right-hand shoulder of the freeway.

“Due to the truck driver’s unsafe turning movement, the Freightliner collided with the GMC,” stated CHP officials. “Due to the Freightliner colliding with the GMC, the GMC collided into the 43-year old male and 39-year old male, causing them to suffer fatal injuries.”

The GMC continued in a southerly direction and collided with the Chevrolet. After the collision, the Freightliner came to rest in the dirt center divider partially blocking the #1 lane, the GMC and Chevrolet came to rest in the open desert terrain west of Interstate 15.

The 41-year old female and two juveniles from Granada Hills were transported by San Bernardino County Fire for precautionary reasons to Barstow Community Hospital.

The Apple Valley man was not injured as a result of the collision. CHP said alcohol and/or drugs are not suspected to be a contributing factor in this collision.

The identities of the 43-year old male and 39-year old male pronounced deceased at the scene will be released by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s-Coroner office pending notification of next of kin.

Anyone with information is asked to call the California Highway Patrol Barstow office at (760) 255-5900. 

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