Coroner Identifies 25-Year-Old Man Killed by Suspected Drunk Driver

Authorities Tuesday released the name of a 25-year-old man killed when his disabled vehicle was rear-ended by a car driven by a suspected intoxicated motorist on the transition road from the eastbound Ventura (134) Freeway to the southbound Golden State (5) Freeway.

He was Chad Edward Bird of Los Angeles, said Lt. Joe Bale of the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Bird's 2001 Honda Accord became disabled on the No. 2 lane of the transition road around 2:30 a.m. Monday and was rear-ended by a 2002 Ford Focus going about 80 miles per hour, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The Honda went off the roadway, rolled down an embankment, burst into flames and Bird was killed, the CHP reported.

Officers at the scene of an earlier crash, which also killed a 25-year-old man, dashed to the scene, pulled Bird out of his burning car and attempted to perform CPR but were unable to save his life, said CHP Officer J. Will.

The driver of the Ford, a 22-year-old Los Angeles man, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, according to the CHP. His name was not available this morning.

In the earlier crash, Jacob Richcter, 25, of Los Angeles left his vehicle disabled on the left shoulder of the southbound 5 Freeway south of Zoo Drive around 12:05 a.m. Monday and was trying to cross the freeway lanes on foot when he was hit by a 2010 Kia, authorities said. The 25-year-old La Crescenta man driving the Kia was neither injured nor arrested.

The eastbound 134 Freeway was closed at the southbound 5 Freeway connector while an investigation was conducted. All lanes were reopened shortly before 6 a.m., the CHP reported.