UPDATE: Man fatally struck by big-rig on I-5 ID’d

December 7, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

UPDATED: Thursday, Dec. 10, 11:30 a.m.

See Original Story below.

REDDING, Calif. — Shasta County Coroner officials today identified a man who died after being struck by a big-rig while walking along Interstate 5 near Cypress Avenue early Monday morning, Dec. 7.

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CHP had previously reported the victim, since identified as 28-year-old, Kevin Gustavo Cardenas, of Whittier, was wearing all dark clothing when he suddenly stepped into the lanes of traffic, where he was struck by a tractor-trailer combo.

The driver of the big-rig told investigating officers he initially thought he had struck an animal and his truck had damage to its front bumper consistent with a vehicle versus pedestrian collision.

“The decedent’s next-of-kin has been notified and the postmortem examination has been scheduled,” Shasta County Chief Deputy Coroner Lieutenant Stonehouse reported last night.

The case remains under investigation by CHP.

Original Story: Man walking along I-5 fatally struck by big-rig

REDDING, Calif. — A man’s lifeless body was found on the side of northbound Interstate 5 near the Cypress Avenue off-ramp in Redding early this morning, Monday, Dec. 7. California Highway Patrol has since reported the victim was struck and killed by a big-rig when he stepped off the freeway’s shoulder and out into the lanes of traffic.

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CHP has said that the victim’s body was found just after 5 a.m., and have reported that the driver of a tractor-trailer semi later told officers he didn’t know he hit a person and thought he had struck an animal.

While investigating the deadly accident, CHP learned the victim, who was wearing all dark clothing, was walking along the shoulder of northbound Interstate 5 just south of Cypress Avenue before the fatal collision.

The victim, who remained unidentified as of this morning, was pronounced deceased by first responders who found his body, according to CHP; who also reported the big-rig had damage to its front bumper.

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The Shasta County Coroner’s Office is now working to identify the man who was killed and his name will be released once his family has been notified.

While officials worked at the scene, CHP called for the temporary closure of the right, northbound slow lane; but no significant delays in traffic were reported.

CHP’s investigation is active and ongoing.

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Trevor Montgomery, 49, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.