Crash with auto kills moped rider

Advertiser Staff

A 70-year-old man was killed in an early-morning accident on an H-1 Freeway off-ramp yesterday when a car changed lanes and hit his moped, police said.

The 20-year-old driver of a 1993 Toyota Corolla was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Speeding was a factor in the accident, according to police, who have opened a negligent homicide investigation.

Both the car and the Honda Elite moped were traveling east on the King Street off-ramp at about 3:45 a.m.

Police said the driver of the Toyota moved into the northernmost lane and ran into the moped, throwing the moped operator onto the car's windshield and then onto the roadway.

The man on the moped was not wearing a helmet.

Police said he was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in critical condition, with multiple body and head injuries.

He died of his injuries later, a Queen's spokeswoman said.