Man dies after being ejected from cherrypicker struck by bus in downtown Los Angeles

Man dies after being ejected from cherrypicker struck by bus in downtown Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES — The operator of a cherrypicker was fatally injured in
downtown Los Angeles today when the device was struck by a Metro bus,
the LAPD reported.

The crash occurred about 3:25 a.m. at Venice
Boulevard and Wright Street, between the L.A. Convention Center and the
110-10 freeway interchange.

Paramedics took the 56-year-old man
to a hospital, where he died shortly after 7 a.m., the LAPD reported.
His name was withheld pending notification of his relatives.

According
to the preliminary investigation, the man was operating the hydraulic
device, which has a 120-foot boom, from inside its lift basket, which
was about 11 feet above the ground, police sad.






“The basket portion was in the number two lane of westbound
Venice Boulevard when it was struck by an oncoming passenger bus,” the
LAPD said.

LAPD Sgt. Gregory Hoyte said the westbound bus was carrying passengers, but none were hurt.

The
investigation was being conducted by detectives from the Central
Traffic Division. Anyone with more information on the accident was urged
to call (213) 833-3713, or (877) LAPD-247.