The young woman killed when the motorcycle on which she was riding crashed on the Ventura (101) Freeway in Encino was identified Friday by authorities.
The multi-vehicle crash happened about 12:45 a.m. Thursday on the westbound 101 Freeway near Hayvenhurst Avenue, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The 20-year-old Northridge woman, identified by the county coroner’s office as Alejandra Rivas Fernandez, died at the scene, according to the CHP. The motorcyclist, 27-year-old Marcos Valenti of Huntington Park, was taken to a hospital for treatment of moderate injuries, said CHP Officer Leland Tang of the West Valley Area office.
“(Valenti) had objective signs and symptoms of intoxication at the scene and at the hospital,” Tang said in a statement Thursday.
Once he’s released from the hospital, Valenti is expected to be arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, Tang said.
According to the preliminary investigation, Valenti was operating the motorcycle “at a high rate of speed when he rear-ended a black Lexus GS400,” Tang said.
“The collision caused the rider and his female passenger to become ejected from the motorcycle and land onto the asphalt roadway,” Tang said. “The male rider was able to avoid oncoming traffic, but the female passenger was struck by numerous vehicles.”
A vehicle hit the downed motorcycle, and both burst into flames, Tang said. No other injuries were reported. Valenti and his passenger both wore helmets, Tang said.
—City News Service