Pedestrian killed on 605 Freeway near Whittier

One pedestrian died and another was severely injured in two Los Angeles-area freeway accidents overnight, authorities said today.

A 72-year-old man pushing a shopping cart on a 605 Freeway onramp near Whittier was struck head-on and killed about 9 p.m. Thursday by a motorist believed to be intoxicated, California Highway Patrol officials said.

The pedestrian was pushing the cart on the southbound ramp from Peck Road in an unincorporated area of Whittier when he was struck by the motorist, authorities said. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.

Wilbur Lafayette Hall Jr., of Norwalk, was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, said CHP Officer Joe Zizi.

In another freeway crash, a 45-year-old man was seriously injured late Thursday in a hit-and-run accident on the side of the 710 Freeway, authorities said.

Ruben Monarrez of South Pasadena was standing on the shoulder of the northbound 710 north of Miller Way in South Gate when he apparently was struck. Monarrez was waiting behind a tow truck that was securing his pickup truck, stalled with a flat tire. The tow-truck driver found Monarrez lying in the slow lane with serious injuries. Evidence at the scene indicates that a car likely struck him after he walked into the slow lane to examine the flat tire on his Toyota truck, said CHP Officer Luis Mendoza. The driver that struck the man fled the scene, according to CHP officials.

"We really have very few things to go on," Mendoza said.

Monarrez is in critical condition at St. Francis Medical Center, having sustained a broken leg and fractured skull. Authorities have not been able to locate Monarrez's family; officials ask anyone with information about him, or the accident, to call the CHP at (323) 980-4600.