Los Angeles, CA

Orange man killed in multi-vehicle crash on 405 in Hawthorne

HAWTHORNE — A 65-year-old Orange man was killed and his 34-year-old passenger suffered major injuries Friday afternoon, Nov. 17 in a three-vehicle collision on the southbound San Diego (405) Freeway in Hawthorne.

The crash was reported at 1:06 p.m. just south of Rosecrans Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The fatally injured man was driving 45 mph in a 2007 Toyota and approaching Rosecrans Avenue in the carpool lane when for unknown reasons he veered to the right across all lanes of traffic, striking a 2008 Toyota Camry, the CHP reported.

On Saturday, coroner’s officials identified the dead man as Stephen Zegler.

The Camry lost control as a result of the initial collision and collided with a Freightliner.

The man later identified as Zegler was pronounced dead at the scene, CHP Officer Alex Rubio said, while his male passenger, also of Orange, was taken to a trauma center for treatment.

The drivers of the Camry and the Freightliner were not injured.

Alcohol and drugs were not a suspected cause of the crash, according to the CHP.

The collision prompted the closure of three southbound freeway lanes for about four hours.