One person was killed early Thursday, January 14, 2026 after hitting a steel bridge support beam that ell onto the 10 Freeway in Ontario after it had been knocked loose in a collision with a big rig.

The incident was reported at 3:19am when a big rig that was carrying heavy machinery struck the steel girders of the support structure for the 15 Freeway Express Lanes and Freight Corridor project above the 10 Freeway.

According to the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), as a result of the initial collision “steel beams were dislodged and shifted, and one fell onto the freeway below. Then, multiple vehicles hit the fallen beam, injuring an unknown number of people who were transported to nearby hospitals.

The California Highway Patrol confirmed that one patient died at the hospital.

According to reports, the initial incident was caused by a big rig that was carrying a large excavator on a flat bed. Images show the excavator with some damage at its highest point. Although the incident remains under investigation, it is likely that the truck driver transporting the excavator and/or their employer being found responsible for the incident.

This incident has raised many questions in the community, some of which include the following:

• What can injured victims and family of the deceased do?

• Can anyone be held liable and sued?

• What remedies are available for recovery?

If you sustained injuries or a member of your family was killed in an incident like the one described above, it is important that you reach out to an experienced lawyers as soon as possible. Based on the details surrounding the incident, you could have the right to file a lawsuit and receive compensation.

To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the legal options available to you and your family, do not hesitate to reach out to our firm at your earliest convenience. Our team here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group has decades of experience and is more than ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to begin or continue your claim. If you are ready to explore the legal options available to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to our firm.

Responsibility of Truck Drivers and Trucking Companies

All drivers on the road owe a duty of care to all others on the road. Of course, this applies to truck drivers and the companies that employ them. Let’s review the different responsibilities that companies and their drivers have.

Trucking companies: companies have a duty to ensure that their drivers are properly licensed and have the experience necessary to safely transport whatever load they are carrying. They also have a duty to properly train their drivers to ensure that they follow all necessary safety checklists and policies/procedures to avoid incidents.

Truck drivers: drivers have a duty to drive carefully, adhering to traffic laws and signage (including height clearance signage), etc. to avoid incidents. When they are transporting a load, they must make sure that it is properly secured and that they know the exact height of the load for clearance purposes as they are driving.

When a bridge is hit as a result of a tall load, then the driver and the driver’s employer can be found liable for resulting damages (as employers can be held responsible for incidents caused by their employees).

Can Other Parties or Entities be Liable?

Yes, other entities could be found liable. More specifically, the road work agencies responsible for the road work project could be found liable. In the project mentioned above, three agencies are involved: the SBCTA, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC). The SBCTA is the primary agency managing the project.

How can these agencies be liable? If investigations find that the height clearance sign was incorrect (i.e., it accounted for the height of the finished bridge not including the support beams) or obscured in any way, then the overseeing agency or agencies could be found liable or at least partly liable.

Can I File a Lawsuit?

Yes, if you were injured or a member of your family died due to injuries sustained in the incident described above, you could have the right to file a lawsuit. In general, these lawsuits are based on the concept of negligence. To ensure that you have a thorough understanding about your right to file a claim, contact the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible.

Can I Recover Any Compensation?

This is a very important question. Yes, you could recover compensation if you pursue a claim. Whether you are filing an injury claim or a wrongful death claim, you could be entitled to certain compensation. The different categories of compensation available for recovery could include the following:

• Medical expenses

• Lost wages

• Pain and suffering

• Property damage

• Punitive damages

• Wrongful death benefits

• Legal expenses

Here at our law firm, our team is fully committed to providing you with the guidance that you need to recover the maximum payout available for your claim. Whether our team has to negotiate a settlement or take your claim to trial to reach a fair verdict, you can trust that our lawyers will do everything necessary to obtain the highest recovery available.

If you have any questions about the possible value of your claim, contact us today.