Bernardo Dreher Killed in Truck Accident in Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA — September 8, 2025, Bernardo Dreher was killed in a truck accident at about 2 p.m. on Interstate 405/Nathan Shapell Memorial Highway.

Authorities said a Toyota Prius stopped on the right shoulder of the freeway near Sepulveda Boulevard and its driver got out of the car before a southbound Isuzu NRR truck veered onto the shoulder, hitting the Toyota and its driver.

The Toyota driver, 42-year-old Bernardo Borges Dreher, died at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

The truck driver was arrested after a field sobriety test, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Sepulveda Pass crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear that a truck veered off a highway shoulder and killed someone standing outside their car, the first question they’re likely to ask is: How does something like that even happen? After all, most folks understand that shoulders are meant to be safe zones, a last resort for drivers dealing with emergencies, not places where they expect to be struck by a commercial vehicle.

In this case, reports say the driver of a Toyota Prius had pulled onto the shoulder and gotten out of the vehicle when a southbound Isuzu NRR truck left its lane and hit both the vehicle and its driver. Authorities also say the truck driver was arrested after a field sobriety test. That certainly raises alarms, but it doesn’t answer all the questions.

It’s not clear whether the driver was under the influence of alcohol, drugs or simply failed the sobriety test for other reasons. A failed field sobriety test doesn’t necessarily mean someone was intoxicated. It just means they showed signs consistent with impairment. Only toxicology results or a full investigation will provide certainty.

Another unanswered question is why the truck left its lane in the first place. Was the driver distracted? Fatigued? Was there a mechanical failure? These are critical questions, because if someone was killed due to preventable factors, especially ones tied to company oversight, then more than one party may bear responsibility.

One of the first things I’d want to know in a case like this is whether the truck had an engine control module (ECM), sometimes called a “black box.” That device can show whether the driver hit the brakes, swerved or was even accelerating in the moments before impact. Dash cams, if they were installed, can provide a visual record of what the driver saw and did.

I’d also be interested in the driver’s cell phone records. Was he texting or on a call at the time? And what about in-cab cameras? Many trucks now have them installed, and they can help show whether the driver was alert, distracted or falling asleep.

Depending on what the investigation uncovers, the trucking company itself may also come under scrutiny. Did they conduct a proper background check? Have there been complaints about this driver before? Was he properly trained, or were corners cut in the hiring process?

I’ve handled cases where the company’s policies, or lack thereof, were far more damning than the actions of the individual behind the wheel. In one of those cases, a trucking company hired a driver who had been fired from multiple previous jobs for poor performance, then gave him only a brief road test before sending him out in a big rig. It’s no surprise the crash that followed wasn’t his first, and it wasn’t really an accident. It was inevitable.

At this point, we only have a partial picture of what happened near Sepulveda Boulevard. But one thing is already clear: a man is dead, and a commercial vehicle left the road in a way it never should have.

Whether that happened because of driver negligence, impairment, mechanical failure or company-level failures is something that can only be answered through a full and independent investigation, one that goes beyond police statements and looks directly at the data and the decision-making that led up to the crash.

Key Takeaways:

• A truck veering onto the shoulder and killing a pedestrian raises urgent questions about what caused the vehicle to leave its lane.
• The truck driver reportedly failed a sobriety test, but toxicology results and other evidence are needed to confirm impairment.
• Crucial evidence like black box data, dash cam footage and cell phone records will help determine whether distraction, fatigue, or mechanical failure played a role.
• The trucking company’s hiring and supervision practices may also be relevant depending on what the investigation finds.
• Only a thorough, evidence-driven investigation can ensure the right parties are held accountable.