A 26-year-old motorcyclist was killed early Tuesday morning in four-vehicle crash on the Hollywood (101) Freeway that left him pinned under a car.
Officers from the California Highway Patrol were called at approximately 12:30 a.m. Tuesday to the southbound side of the freeway at Melrose Avenue where they learned a motorcycle and a white Honda Pilot mid-size crossover SUV were involved in a collision, CHP Officer Sergio Garcia told City News Service.
The rider was reported to be down in one of the freeway’s middle lanes, Garcia said, but video from the scene showed Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters using hydraulic tools and an airbag to free the victim from underneath a red Toyota Corolla.
Firefighters pronounced the victim dead at the scene, according to the CHP
He was later identified by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner as Villanelle Thompson.
The crash and response prompted closure of the three southbound lanes and issuance of a SigAlert.
All lanes were cleared and the SigAlert was canceled at 5:30 a.m., according to the CHP.