A man has died in Palmdale, California, after his GMC pickup truck collided with a big rig and truck in the early hours of Thursday, March 5. The incident took place on State Route 14, Anthony Valley Freeway in the northern Los Angeles city.

The California Highway Patrol got an emergency call at about 2:53 a.m on Thursday, describing a fatal crash between two vehicles which resulted in the death of a motorist near West Avenue O. They arrived at the scene shortly after and discovered the wreck, with the impaired victim unconscious in an overturned black pickup truck.

The victim of the crash was identified as Leonard Mompeller, a 35 year old local. According to the Highway Patrol, the 35-year-old was travelling along the Anthony Valley Freeway in a black pickup truck when he supposedly crashed into a truck being pulled by a big rig and got wedged in the semi-trailer truck.

Unable to dislodge in time, the stuck truck was dragged violently for some distance by the towing engine, before it eventually broke free, tumbled, and ended up sideways off No.3 lane on the Southbound Freeway.

Upon responding to the incident, the Los Angeles County Fire Department pronounced the pickup driver dead.

The two vehicles involved sustained major damages. While the GMC pickup was completely blacked out, the bumper of the big rig was ripped off. The driver of the towing vehicle was unharmed in the fatal collision and did not stop on the scene.

Authorities remain on the lookout for the absconded semi driver and have requested anyone with information about a big rig with major damage to the rear end, specifically a missing DOT bar, to contact the California Highway Patrol.

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