A 29-year-old Torrance motorcyclist died early Wednesday morning after colliding with a disabled van that was stuck in the carpool lane on the 91 Freeway in Cerritos, west of Pioneer Boulevard, authorities said.
The crash happened just after midnight when 21-year-old Luis Hernandez, from Long Beach, lost control of his Toyota Sienna and hit the concrete center divider, leaving his van blacked out and facing sideways across the HOV and a portion of the next lane, California Highway Patrol Officer Jeremy Tolen said.
Hernandez got out of his van with minor injuries. A minute later, the driver of a 2007 Ford Expedition, Kenneth Rodriguez, sideswiped the unoccupied van. He was not injured, however.
The driver of a Yamaha motorcycle struck the van moments later and was ejected from his motorcycle, according to the release. He was transported to UCI Medical Center where he died.
He has been identified as 29-year-old Raymond Ruvalcaba from Torrance.
The eastbound lanes of the 91 Freeway were closed until about 3:20 a.m.
Anyone with information on this crash is asked to contact Officer J. Van Dragt at 562-868-0503.