Motorcyclist fatally struck by wrong-way driver on 405 Fwy in Torrance; DUI suspect arrested

TORRANCE, Calif. (KABC) -- A motorcyclist was killed and a DUI suspect was arrested early Sunday morning after a wrong-way crash on the 405 Freeway in Torrance, authorities said.

The collision happened shortly before 3 a.m. on the southbound side of the interstate near Artesia Boulevard, where the 22-year-old driver of a pickup truck was driving northbound in oncoming lanes when he slammed into a 2006 Harley-Davidson, according to the California Highway Patrol.

A 57-year-old Hawthorne resident was thrown off of his motorcycle and died at the scene, the CHP said.

Firefighters used the Jaws of Life to extract the driver from the 1987 Dodge pickup, which ended up pinned against a wall upon impact. That man, San Diego resident, sustained major injuries and was transported to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, authorities said.

The incident resulted in the hourslong closure of the southbound side of the 405, which was reopened as of 8:30 a.m.

"Alcohol is being investigated as a contributing factor in this collision," the Highway Patrol said in a statement.

The names of the deceased victim and the DUI suspect were not immediately released.