A 36-year-old Chino man was killed on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway in West Covina when he was impaled by a guardrail while driving backward on the right shoulder of the road, authorities said Monday.
The crash occurred about 4:50 a.m. Sunday on the eastbound freeway just west of Via Verde Street, the California Highway Patrol reported.
A preliminary investigation determined the man pulled a black Mercedes-Benz C300 sedan to the right shoulder and stopped, then shifted into reverse and moved westbound on the eastbound shoulder, the CHP stated.
The car first backed into a wooden “Watch Downhill Speed” sign, then continued in reverse until it struck a metal guardrail, the CHP stated. The guardrail penetrated the rear of the Mercedes and went through the driver’s seat, killing the man. His name was withheld pending notification of relatives.
Investigators have not determined why the man drove backward on the shoulder.
A SigAlert issued at 5:27 a.m. closing all eastbound lanes was canceled at 9:20 a.m.