Deadly Crash in La Mesa Monday

Update:

A man fatally struck by a SUV while standing outside his broken down pickup near the Grossmont Center mall in La Mesa remained unidentified today.

The victim stopped his 1994 Toyota pickup truck on a patch of land separating Interstate 8 and state Route 125 shortly after 3:30 p.m. Monday, got out and was standing behind it with his back to traffic as the SUV approached, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Pearlstein.

At the same time, a 27-year-old New York woman driving a 2014 Chevy Traverse cut across the area where the truck was parked, but did not see the man or the disabled pickup, Pearlstein said.

Pearlstein said the SUV hit the victim and propelled him forward. He died at the scene.

The SUV’s driver was taken to a hospital for an evaluation, Pearlstein said. It was not immediately clear whether she would face charges in connection with the crash. Neither alcohol nor drugs were suspected in the crash, he said.

Earlier:

A freeway collision near Grossmont Center mall left one person dead this afternoon.

The fatality occurred on westbound Interstate 8 at state Route 125 in La Mesa about 3:30 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. Initial reports indicated that the victim may have been a pedestrian, or perhaps was ejected from a vehicle, the CHP reported.

The accident left several lanes blocked in the area and worsened afternoon rush-hour congestion.

--City News Service