Motorcyclist Killed in Pomona Crash at 60 Fwy and 71 Fwy Interchange
POMONA, CA – A motorcyclist died Thursday morning in a crash on the freeway transition road connecting the westbound 60 Freeway to the southbound 71 Freeway in Pomona, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The crash was reported at 6:29 a.m. on the transition road in the Phillips Ranch section of Pomona, according to an officer with the CHP’s Los Angeles-area Traffic Information Center. One person was pronounced dead at the scene. It was not immediately confirmed whether another vehicle was involved.
The transition road was shut down and a SigAlert was issued following the crash. Caltrans requested a hard closure of the road at 7:46 a.m. All lanes reopened by about 11 a.m., CHP said. The motorcyclist’s identity had not been released as of Thursday afternoon. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
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A Dangerous Category of Crash on California Freeways
In 2023, Los Angeles County recorded 125 motorcycle fatalities, more than any other county in the state. That total was more than double the figure in second-ranked San Diego County, according to an analysis by UC Berkeley’s Safe Transportation Research and Education Center using state and federal crash data.
Statewide, 583 motorcyclists died in California traffic crashes in 2023. That figure accounted for 14 percent of all traffic deaths in the state that year, despite motorcycles making up a small fraction of registered vehicles, the SafeTREC report found. Interstates accounted for 10 percent of fatal motorcycle crashes statewide in 2023, the fourth most common crash location behind principal arterials, minor arterials, and major collectors.
The 60 Freeway carries heavy commuter traffic between the San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire, and its interchange with the 71 Freeway sits in an area where multiple state highways converge. Broadside collisions were the most common type of fatal or serious-injury motorcycle crash recorded in California in 2023. Crashes in which a rider overturned or struck a fixed object were the next most common, according to the SafeTREC data.
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California Liability Framework for Fatal Motorcycle Crashes
Because the cause of Thursday’s crash has not been determined, it is too early to say who, if anyone, bears legal responsibility. If another driver’s negligence caused or contributed to the crash, that driver could be held liable under ordinary negligence principles. If a mechanical failure played a role, the motorcycle’s manufacturer or a component maker could face a product liability claim.
Caltrans maintains both the 60 and 71 freeways, including the connector ramp where Thursday’s crash occurred. If a dangerous condition of the roadway contributed to the crash, the rider’s family could pursue a claim against the agency under Government Code section 835. Claims against Caltrans and other public entities must be filed within six months of the crash under California’s Government Claims Act. That deadline is far shorter than the two-year window that applies to most private negligence claims.
J&Y Law investigates fatal freeway crashes to determine what happened and who may be responsible. Consultations are free, and the firm handles cases on a contingency-fee basis, meaning a family pays nothing unless J&Y Law recovers on their behalf.
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