At least two people, including an LAPD sergeant, were killed early Monday morning in a multi-car accident on the 405 Freeway in Brentwood that shut down southbound lanes in the Sepulveda Pass.
Officers with the California Highway Patrol responded to the crash around 2 a.m. LAPD Shiou Deng had stopped to assist another driver, whose silver truck was stopped in the carpool lane. hen a car plowed into Sgt. Deng outside his LAPD vehicle and then struck and killed the man with the disabled truck.
“He activated his rear lights in an effort to be able to slow traffic behind him, and provide some level of safety for the people who were involved in that collision,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said during a press conference. “He exited from his police vehicle and as he approached the crash site, he was struck from the rear by oncoming traffic.”
The LAPD sergeant was taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and later pronounced dead. A procession was held as his body was taken to the Medical Examiner's office in Boyle Heights
“He’s an exceptional guy," McDonell said, "A true leader. A true hero."
Mayor Karen Bass called it a "sad day for our city."
"Officers, women and men who put their lives on the line every day, and the sergeant was an example of somebody who lost his life attempting to save others," she said.
Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.
A SigAlert was issued just before 2:30 a.m. shutting down the southbound lanes at Getty Center Drive.The northbound lanes closed around 4 a.m., but reopened at 4:28 a.m.
The southbound lanes reopened at 12: 18 p.m.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
