A motorist was killed Friday when his pickup truck slammed into the rear of a tractor-trailer on Interstate 215 in Riverside.
The fatality occurred just after 5 a.m. Friday on southbound I-215 just north of Central Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Officer Javier Navarro said the victim, identified only as an adult male, was traveling at an unconfirmed speed in the slow lane when his 2010 Ford Ranger approached a slower moving Freightliner big rig.
“For reasons still under investigation, the driver of the Ford rear-ended the truck,” Navarro said.
Riverside Fire Department crews reached the location minutes later and pronounced the pickup driver dead at the scene. The big rig operator was not hurt.
The slow lane remained shut down for several hours while a preliminary investigation was conducted.
The location of the collision is a notorious choke point on the east end of Riverside, where traffic is often stop and go.
Anyone with information relevant to the investigation was asked to contact the CHP Riverside office at 951-324-7210.