By Mary O’KEEFE

California Highway Patrol responded to two fatal vehicle accidents one week after the Angeles Crest Highway opened.

On June 10, a 21-year-old Pasadena man and a 48-year-old man visiting the Monterey Park area lost their lives in two separate vehicle accidents.

The first occurred at 3:05 a.m. on the Angeles Crest Highway at mile marker 31.71.

“The 21-year-old man was traveling westbound on SR 2 [Angeles Crest Highway] at an unknown speed. He lost control and his vehicle collided with an embankment and a tree,” said CHP Officer Kevin Denmon.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Los Angeles County Coroners office released the victim’s name as Julio Velasquez.

The cause of death was due to multiple blunt force injuries, said Ed Winter, L.A. County Coroner’s spokesman.

The toxicology results have not been received. It is not known if alcohol played a role in the accident.

“We only have reports that [the victim] had been drinking with friends earlier that evening,” Winter said.

The second fatal accident occurred at 4:30 p.m. on the ‘Crest at mile marker 32.82.  A 48-year-old man who was staying with a friend in Monterey Park was traveling westbound on the Crest at an unknown rate of speed.

“For an undetermined reason, he turned left while traveling on a straight [area of the road]. He became airborne and went over the edge of the mountain.

Montrose Search and Rescue responded to the afternoon accident.

Capt. Janet Henderson said a witness told her the car made an unusual turn and went over the side.

The rescue team had to rappel down the side of the mountain to recover the man’s body.

“We had to put 600 feet of cable [and rope] over the side,” Henderson said.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The County Coroner has released that man’s name as Eduardo Senkowski-Saenz. He suffered multiple blunt injuries due to the crash.
Both accidents are under investigation.

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