Driver killed after being ejected from car, landing on Los Angeles freeway exit sign

[Teh One Who Knocks]

FOX News and The Associated Press


http://i.imgur.com/fzAc2el.jpg
The body of a driver ejected when his car rolled over several times on southbound Interstate 5 is seen where it landed on an overhead freeway sign north
of downtown Los Angeles. (AP)

A Los Angeles driver was in a car accident early Friday and rolled his vehicle several times before being tossed 20 feet in the air and landing on a road sign.

California Highway Patrol Officer Chad Guin said the crash occurred on the northbound side of Interstate 5 near downtown Los Angeles at 7 a.m. The freeway was reopened after firefighters removed the body with a fire truck ladder.

Lt. David Smith of the Los Angeles County coroner’s office identified the victim as Richard Pananian, 20, of Burbank, according to KTLA. Witnesses told the California Highway Patrol that Pananian was driving his Ford Fiesta at a high rate of speed and passing vehicles on the shoulder.

A 45-year-old driver of a Ford F-150 was in the No. 4 lane going about 50 mph when Pananian veered left from the right-hand shoulder and hit the truck’s rear, KTLA reported citing a CHP collision report.

Pananian veered right and overturned multiple times. He was then ejected from his car about 20 feet in the air and landed on an exit ramp sign overhead. He then came to a rest on the ledge of the sign.

“Any time you speed and you don’t wear your seat belt, there’s a good chance you’re going to get hurt, if not killed,” Patrol Officer Edgar Figueroa said.

California Highway Patrol said lanes reopened around 11 a.m.

[Hikari Kisugi]

Amazed anyone doesn't wear their seat belt in this day and age.
Truly amazed anyone every complains about such a law.

[deebakes]

no more bad decisions possible for this one :shrug:

[Goofy]

Is this from the new Final Destination movie? :-k

[KevinD]

Amazed anyone doesn't wear their seat belt in this day and age.
Truly amazed anyone every complains about such a law.

I've worn my seat belt since I was about 12. Coincidentally about the same time I started racing. What I have a problem with is I remember the heavy handed tactics the federal government used to force all the states to pass seat belt laws. It's none of the feds business.

[Hal-9000]

I got my license and exactly 90 days later (we had a new rule about 3 months probation for new drivers) I hit a bridge embuttment at a high rate of speed and totaled my car. No seat belt and I first hit the windshield with my head, broke it, then the giant steering wheel of my car prevented me from exiting the vehicle. It broke my femur in two.

We had a new seatbelt law for a few weeks, then they rescinded the law for some reason and then re-instituted it months later. I was driving a 72 Dodge Coronet and it had shitty lap belts on a large bench seat, so I usually didn't wear them. I AM the poster boy for wearing seat belts. Cop said I would have walked away from the accident if I was wearing my belt. Instead, 10 days in hospital in a traction bed, then 16 inch pin in my femur for 23 months, then remove the pin and screws, then 3 years of rehab learning how to walk and run again.