CLAREMONT, Calif. — Authorities have identified the man who tragically lost his life in a weekend crash on the Foothill (210) Freeway as 65-year-old Tracy Willis, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The accident occurred around 8 a.m. on Saturday along the eastbound 210 Freeway, just west of Monte Vista Avenue, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported.
Investigators said the crash began when a brown Mini Cooper became disabled and was left unoccupied on the freeway’s right shoulder. For reasons still under investigation, Willis, who was driving a white Ford Focus, drifted from his travel lane and struck the rear of the stopped Mini Cooper.
Emergency crews responded quickly, and Willis was rushed to a nearby hospital. Despite lifesaving efforts, he was pronounced dead at 8:25 a.m., only minutes after the collision.
The incident prompted a Sigalert at 8:26 a.m., which shut down the third and fourth lanes of the freeway for just over an hour. Lanes reopened around 9:35 a.m. after investigators completed their on-scene work.
Authorities have not yet determined why Willis’s vehicle veered onto the shoulder. CHP officials said impairment, distraction, or mechanical issues have not been ruled out, and the investigation remains ongoing.
This crash highlights the dangers of disabled vehicles along busy freeways, where stopped cars remain at risk of being struck. Safety officials continue urging drivers to move as far from active roadways as possible if a vehicle becomes disabled.
For Willis’s family and community, the loss is both sudden and devastating. While further details about his personal life have not been released, his identity confirmation allows loved ones to begin grieving and honoring his memory.
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