A man who was killed when standing on the side of Interstate 8 near State Route 125 in La Mesa has been identified.
Reynaldo Ventura Nava, 85, of Coronado, was driving on I-8 at about 3:30 p.m., the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office said, when he pulled his 1994 Toyota pickup into the triangular area that separates I-8 from SR-125.
He got out of his truck and walked to a nearby call box to call for help, the ME's office said. Officials say it's unclear if the truck had mechanical issues or why the man decided to get out.
As Nava was standing with his back turned to the traffic at the rear of the pickup, a 27-year-old woman from New York drove her 2014 Chevy Traverse into the area as she tried to merge from the I-8 to SR-125.
The CHP says she did not see the pedestrian or pickup and slammed into the man, making him fly forward. He died at the scene.
The pickup was pushed into the first lane of traffic on westbound I-8, while the Chevy blocked the first lane of the transition road to SR-125.
A Sig Alert was put into effect for about two hours.
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The female drive was taken to the hospital for evaluation, but it's unclear if she will be cited. Alcohol and drugs were not factors in this crash, officials say.
