Driver Killed When Pickup Hits Semitrailer

A driver who may have fallen asleep at the wheel smashed into the back of a semitrailer truck on the Golden State Freeway near Castaic Monday morning, killing himself and injuring his passenger, authorities said.

Ubaldo Ochoa, 21, of Los Angeles was driving south on the freeway about three miles north of Lake Hughes Road at 12:20 a.m. when his pickup hit the slow-moving semi, California Highway Patrol Officer A.J. Torres said.

Torres said Ochoa was driving about 60 m.p.h. in the slow lane of the freeway and the bigger truck, driven by Jay Lincoln Souder, 54, of Igo, Calif., was traveling about 20 m.p.h. Torres said the speed limit for large trucks in that hilly stretch of the freeway is 40 m.p.h.

Torres said Ochoa may have dozed off before the accident and apparently tried to stop before slamming into Souder’s semi. The impact of the crash sent Ochoa’s truck sliding off the freeway and down a 50-foot embankment, Torres said.

Ochoa died at the scene. His passenger, Ana Marie Ochoa, 20, of Los Angeles, suffered major injuries and was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, where she was in serious condition Monday. It was unclear whether she was related to the dead man, Torres said.

Souder was not injured.