Road-Rage Crash Injures Innocent Motorist In Pickup

SANTA CLARITA (CBSLA.com) — An apparent case of road rage between a motorcyclist and a driver in a sedan set off chain reaction crash that overturned an uninvolved truck, and authorities are now looking for that motorcycle rider.

The incident happened Wednesday just before 6 a.m. in the carpool lane of the southbound 14 Freeway, just past the Newhall exit, and was captured by another driver a few car lengths back.

Video shows the motorcycle rider drive up to the compact sedan and kick at its side. The sedan swerves wildly, hits the median and ricochets into the right lanes and into a white truck, which overturned and landed on its roof.

The motorcyclist was seen riding off, away from the crash.

The driver of the truck, a 75-year-old on his way to work, was hurt in the crash, but suffered no major injuries.

The incident was reported as a hit-and-run to the California Highway Patrol, who is looking for that motorcyclist.

CBS 2 reporters tracked down the 75-year-old man who was driving a Cadillac Escalade.

"When I felt the impact," says Carlos Benavidez, , "and my truck spun out beside me,  and I started to roll. I saw nothing but asphalt and sky.  And then, coming to rest, and I looked around to see, and I was still breathing."

He added, "to me that was a plus."

Chris Taber, the driver who shot the video, says moments before he grabbed his phone, the motorcyclist had also passed him between lanes.

Then, when the Nissan's driver tried to get out of the carpool lane, he bumped the motorcycle. Traber doesn't know if it was an accident or on purpose. That's when the two men started yelling and the biker started kicking the Nissan driver's door.

"I'm sure the guy on the motorcycle was scared and totally startled because he almost went down and I'm sure his adrenaline kicked in," Traber said.

Meanwhile, the father of the Nissan driver told KCAL 9 off-camera that his son became scared when he said the biker flashed that looked like a knife at him.

Benavidez also spoke to the 19-year-old following the crash.

"He came and saw to it that I was okay," says Benavidez, "You know, he had a bottle of water. He gave me a bottle of water. He was kind of in shock himself. He apologized."

Anyone with information or who may have witnessed this crash can call the CHP Newhall Area office at (661) 294-5540.