The California Highway Patrol is investigating the death of a Santa Paula man killed last week as he ran across the 101 Freeway in Ventura.
Around 10:17 p.m. October 19, 27-year-old Brandon Brutton of Santa Paula ran across the freeway directly in front of a Ford Ranger driven by a 32-year-old resident of San Luis Obispo. Brutton apparently was on the right side of the road trying to reach the center divider when he was struck just north of Victoria Avenue.
The truck was traveling about 70 miles per hour and the driver attempted to avoid hitting Brutton but was unable to do so.
The driver pulled into the center divider and stopped; he was not injured.
Ventura City Fire EMTs and ambulance personnel were dispatched to render aid to Brutton but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The cause and manner of death are pending toxicology tests and further investigation, according to officials.
Brutton’s Facebook page shows he was originally from Ojai and had lived in Simi Valley. He was also known to his friends as “Squeeks” and had detailed overcoming personal challenges on his Facebook page.
