Driving on the eastbound Ventura Freeway early this morning in Glendale, Fountain Valley resident Kirk Dowling noticed a collision blocking a few lanes and stopped to render aid, a move that authorities said led to his death.
Shortly before 1 a.m. on the 134 Freeway, just west of Pacific Avenue, Dowling had pulled over to the right shoulder near a Dodge Caravan that had also stopped, and got out.
But as the 48-year-old walked along the freeway's south shoulder to the accident scene, Sara Kacee, a 28-year-old Altadena resident driving a 2004 Honda Element at a high speed, failed to see the stalled vehicles until it was too late.
When she swerved hard to the right, she first struck Dowling and then his vehicle, which was pushed into the Dodge Caravan.
Dowling suffered major head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to California Highway Patrol Officer S. Coyle of the Altadena area office.
Kacee suffered "moderate injuries" and the Dodge Caravan driver, 29-year-old Gaston Carrizo of Glendale, was not injured, Coyle said.
Kacee was not arrested. The investigation was continuing today, Coyle said.
All eastbound lanes were closed until 4:17 a.m., said CHP Officer David Porter.
francisco.varaorta@latimes.com
