Los Angeles Freeway Construction Worker Crushed by Beam

The California Highway Patrol says a Los Angeles freeway construction worker has been crushed to death by a 3,000-pound steel beam that was being unloaded from a truck.

Sgt. Joe Zizi says the accident happened around 2:30 a.m. Thursday on the Santa Monica Boulevard offramp of Interstate 405.

The offramp is part of a 10-mile freeway widening project. The work has forced two weekend closures that became known as Carmageddon I and II.

Zizi says the offramp was closed. It was due to reopen at 6 a.m. but that will be delayed.

He says the victim was a middle-aged Hispanic man but his name is being withheld until relatives can be notified.

Zizi says 10 or 15 co-workers witnessed the accident but no one else was hurt.