ALAMO — A motorist died Thursday afternoon on Interstate 680 from injuries suffered when a wheel from another vehicle flew into the windshield of the pickup truck he was driving, authorities said.
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He was identified Friday by the coroner’s office as Fernando Ruiz Horta, 61, of San Jose.
The unusual death happened about 1:35 p.m. Thursday in the southbound lanes of Interstate 680 just south of Stone Valley Road, in Alamo.
The California Highway Patrol said its preliminary investigation indicates a Ford van was northbound when, for reasons still under investigation, its left rear wheel became detached.
The wheel crossed over the concrete center divider and struck the windshield of a southbound Toyota Tundra driven by Ruiz Horta, the CHP said. He was the only occupant of the truck.
The truck hit a sound wall before stopping. Ruiz Horta sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on the freeway.
The driver of the Ford remained on scene and is cooperating with the investigation. He and a passenger were not injured.
Portions of northbound and southbound lanes of I-680 were closed at separate times for on-scene investigation, the CHP said. The southbound slow lane was closed upon CHP arrival and was reopened at approximately 3:24 p.m. The two left northbound lanes were closed at approximately 3:30 p.m. and were reopened at approximately 4:21 p.m.
The death remains under investigation. Anyone who witnessed the incident or the events leading up to it is asked to call the CHP’s Contra Costa office at 925-646-4980 or email contact information to [email protected].
