Westminster man dies in accident while working on car
A Westminster man suffered fatal injuries Monday after being crushed by the car he was working on.
Juan Carlos Reyes, 28, died while tinkering on his 2003 Ford Taurus.
“This incident appears to be a tragic accident,” said Commander Cameron Knauerhaze, public information officer for the Westminster Police Departmentt.
Knauerhaze said the incident is a reminder that people who work on their cars need a full understanding of safety measures and also that it makes sense to avoid taking on such mechanical work alone.
The accident occurred in the 15000 block of Brookhurst Street.
The call for help came at 1:32 p.m. and officers arrived almost immediately. They found a frantic scene: several people attempting to lift a car off a man trapped under the front axle area on the passenger side.
Reyes had been working alone outside when the car fell on him. Foul play is not suspected.
“Family members said it was not unusual for him to be working on his car,” Knauerhaze said. “The jack gave way or he did not have it on properly.”
Family members discovered the accident when they went out to check on Reyes.
Officers assisted family members in lifting the front end of the Taurus and pulling out Reyes. They were quickly joined by members of the Orange County Fire Authority. Reyes was rushed to a local trauma center, where he died.
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