A.V. MAN DIES IN CRASH.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

PALMDALE - A Palmdale man was killed when his compact pickup truck slammed into the rear of a cargo van broken down beside the Antelope Valley Freeway.

The pickup driver, whose name was not released pending notification of his family, was killed instantly, California Highway Patrol officials said.

The crash closed the freeway's northbound slow lane near Avenue M for more than 2 1/2 hours.

The pickup was so badly damaged that it had to be towed to a salvage yard where firefighters could cut the body free.

``Sometimes it's safer to do that than trying to cut him free on the side of the road,'' said CHP Lt. Andria Witmer. ``There was a lot of damage.''

The crash occurred just before 1 p.m. in the northbound lanes of the Antelope Valley Freeway about a quarter-mile south of Avenue M.

The motorist had been driving a Toyota pickup truck in the slow lane when it drifted onto the shoulder and hit a van that had broken down minutes earlier. The van's driver was in the cargo compartment when the pickup hit it, but he was not injured.

The Toyota's engine caught fire. California Highway Patrol officers put out the flames with an extinguisher.

Traffic was backed up for more than 1 1/2 miles.

Authorities posted signs warning motorists that traffic was slowing ahead, but at least two crashes occurred as vehicles slammed into the rear of vehicles they were following. No one required hospital treatment.