An off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy was one of two people killed Tuesday morning in a crash on the 101 Freeway in Studio City.
The deputy was a passenger in a ride-share vehicle involved in the early morning crash near the 170 and 134 freeway interchange. A Kia sedan, Kia SUV and box truck were part of the collision near the Tujunga Avenue exit.
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WATCH HEREIn a news release, the California Highway Patrol said the black Kia SUV was stopped in lanes when people got out of the vehicle. The box truck collided with the Kia and the SUV's two occupants, the CHP said.
The victims, a man and woman, died at the scene. It was not immediately clear why the Kia stopped on the freeway.
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SIGN UP In a statement later Tuesday, the sheriff's department identified the deputy as 31-year-old Marcos Pena Jr. He was assigned to Men's Central Jail.
"We are heartbroken by the tragic and untimely loss of Deputy Pena Jr., who was taken from us far too soon," said Sheriff Robert G. Luna. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and all those who had the honor of serving alongside him."
Deputy Pena joined the LASD in July 2022.
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Details about what caused the crash were not immediately available. NBCLA has reached out to the ride-share company for comment.
A Sigalert was issued for the closure of all lanes of the westbound 101 Freeway at the Tujunga exit. All lanes were reopened and the Sigalert was canceled at about 7:30 a.m., the CHP reported.
