Man Killed With Son On 405 Freeway In Seal Beach Identified

SEAL BEACH, CA -- The Orange County coroner Saturday publicly identified the 39-year-old man killed with his 3-year-old son in a crash on the San Diego (405) Freeway in Seal Beach that injured two other family members and a person in the other vehicle.

He was Tarun Katara, of Irvine. The boy's name is still not released.

The crash occurred about 2:30 a.m. Friday on the southbound freeway just north of the Seal Beach Boulevard exit, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Katara and his son died at the scene, authorities said.

The man's wife and their 10-year-old daughter were taken to a hospital for treatment, the girl in serious condition and the woman with moderate injuries, said Capt. Steve Concialdi of the Orange County Fire Authority. A 47- year-old woman driving the other vehicle was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries.

The family's 2011 Honda CRV became disabled and the man and his son got out of the vehicle, which was then rear-ended by a 2006 Toyota Rav4, authorities said. The man's wife and their daughter had remained inside the Honda.

"This is a highway," California Highway Patrol Officer Duane Graham said. "If you become disabled for any reason, if you can't safely make your way to the shoulder, you want to stay within the vehicle if you can, keep everyone restrained within the vehicle and call 911 to get help."

The CHP was investigating the circumstances of the crash. Several lanes were blocked while the investigation was conducted.

--City News Service/Photo via Shutterstock