Captain fire Department County of Los Angeles died after his car collided with a truck of the Department of transportation of California (Caltrans) on highway 14.
The accident occurred on January 23 around 11:17. The highway patrol officer Josh Grimard reported that a jeep SUV crashed into the back of the Caltrans truck GMC 3500, which was parked in the North lane of highway 14, near exit on Sand Canyon Road. When on the scene firefighters arrived, they found that the driver of the jeep got stuck in his wrecked car. He was unconscious and not breathing. After the man was pulled over, he was declared dead.
Crash victim was 63-year-old Michael Shepard, a resident of Agua Dulce, who worked at the fire station 132, Santa CLARITA. The day of the tragedy he was off-duty. A few hours after the man’s death became known, his colleagues joined the procession along Golden Valley Road.
Firefighters escorted the body of Shepard in the Department of medical examination County of Los Angeles. Inspector of the fire service Scott Elliott said that many gave to the dead a tribute. Several of the participants were working at the fire station in the 6th battalion, one of two units serving the valley of Santa CLARITA.
The driver of the Caltrans vehicle received moderate injury and was taken to the hospital Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. Police said the other victims were not.
Traffic on highway 14 was partially suspended until 13:40 before the firemen and highway patrol were investigating. The cause of the accident is not yet known.
NB SR-14 carpool lane & the #1 lane are closed for investigation of the fatality near Sand Canyon Rd #SantaClarita. Estimated opening time is 9pm. NB #2 lane is open. The backup is 8 miles w/ 90-minute delay. Use alternate route or expect long delay.
— Caltrans District 7 (@CaltransDist7) January 24, 2019
