The accident was reported around 4:50 a.m., January 25, on the eastbound freeway near Via Verde Street.
West Covina, CA – The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the man who died in a single-vehicle collision that happened early Sunday morning on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway in West Covina as 36-year-old Gilberto Maldonado.
The accident was reported around 4:50 a.m., January 25, on the eastbound freeway near Via Verde Street.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Maldonado was driving a black Mercedes-Benz C300 sedan when he pulled to the right shoulder and stopped. He then shifted into reverse and moved westbound on the eastbound shoulder. The vehicle backed into a wooden “Watch Downhill Speed” sign, then continued in reverse and hit a metal guardrail. The guardrail penetrated the car and went through the driver's seat, fatally injuring Maldonado.
At the time of the report, investigators had not yet determined why the driver drove backward on the shoulder.
An investigation into the collision is ongoing.
Original Story
West Covina, CA – One person died in a single-vehicle collision that happened early Sunday morning on a freeway in West Covina.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the incident was reported around 4:50 a.m., January 25, on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway west of Via Verde Street.
A dark-colored sedan was involved in a crash under unclear circumstances.
Authorities confirmed that one person was killed in the collision.
A SigAlert was issued at 5:27 a.m., closing all eastbound lanes of the freeway during an investigation. The SigAlert was cancelled at 9:22 a.m. after all lanes were reopened.
In California, single-vehicle crashes make up a substantial portion of serious traffic incidents, accounting for about 56 % of all traffic fatalities in the state in 2023 — higher than multiple-vehicle deaths, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). These collisions often involve the vehicle leaving the roadway and striking fixed objects or rolling over. Alcohol impairment is a leading cause of single-vehicle crashes, with nearly 41 % of drivers who died in such crashes having a BAC ≥ 0.08 % in recent years. Other major contributing factors include speeding, which reduces control and reaction ability, drowsy and distracted driving, and poor weather or road conditions. Single-vehicle crashes also occur more frequently at night and on higher-speed roads. These behavioral and environmental factors dominate solo crash causation across the state.
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