Big rig hits, kills Huntington man

Jenny Marder

David William Huie, 60, of Huntington Beach was killed instantly

Saturday morning when a tractor-trailer rig rear-ended his 1962

Chevrolet Corvette at a red light.

Huie was stopped at the light at Goldenwest Street and Slater

Avenue at 8:20 a.m. when the big rig crashed into his car from

behind, forcing it across the intersection. Huie, who was found

trapped in the wreckage, was believed by police to have died on

impact.

“I’ve been in the business a long time, and it’s one of the worst

[accidents] I’ve ever seen,” Huntington Beach Police Lt. Dan Johnson

said.

Police believe the truck driver, Oxnard resident Jesus E.

Zendejas, failed to see Huie’s car and mistook the signal for green.

“We can only speculate that it was due to inattention,” Johnson

said.

After the rig sent the Corvette across the intersection, both

smashed into a wall and crushed a fire hydrant, setting it off. The

Chevy’s gas tank ruptured during the collision and sparked a fire,

which was extinguished almost immediately by water spewing from the

hydrant, Johnson said. The big rig, which was carrying sod, partially

ran over the car and ended up on top, he said.

Zendejas and a female passenger in the truck suffered minor

injuries and some burns. They were taken to Huntington Beach Hospital

where they were treated and released.

The collision is still under investigation. No citations have been

issued nor arrests made.