San Diego

Man Jumps Off Camper Into I-5 Lanes in Solana Beach

Witnesses say the man looked to the ground and then stepped off the back stairs of the RV before his death

A man who jumped off the back of a recreational vehicle while it was traveling on Interstate 5 last week may have been under the influence of drugs, California Highway Patrol officers said.

A 26-year-old Woodland Hills man died October 17 on I-5 south of Lomas Santa Fe after being struck by several vehicles traveling at freeway speeds, officials said.

Witnesses said the man was hanging off the RV, looked to the ground and then stepped off the back stairs just moments before his death.

The RV did not stop at the scene and investigators believed the driver may not have been aware of what had happened. 

On Wednesday, CHP spokesperson Officer James Bettencourt said they were able to contact the driver who identified the victim in the incident as his son.

The father told CHP his son was riding in the pickup connected to the camper when they stopped for gas.

The father said he didn't think anything of his son's decision to climb into the back camper when they got back on the road.

Investigators said the father was unaware of his son's death until they had contacted him.

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