Lemon Grove Motorist Drives Home with Lifeless Torso of La Mesan

In a panic, a Lemon Grove motorist drove home with the body of a pedestrian lodged in the vehicle’s front seat after fatally striking the 74-year-old La Mesa man early Friday morning on state Route 125, throwing his partially dismembered body through the windshield of the vehicle, authorities said.

Once home, according to the California Highway Patrol, Harold Mittleman, 46, immediately placed an emergency call to report what had happened.

“Emotionally, he didn’t know what to do, so he drove straight home,” said CHP public affairs Officer Brian Pennings.

The early morning accident was reported at 2:12 a.m., according to the CHP.

Pennings said Mittleman was driving southbound on state Route 125 at about 2 a.m. when his vehicle struck the man, who was walking or standing in a middle traffic lane near Spring Street in Spring Valley.

With the victim’s body lodged in the front seat, the driver panicked and drove home just a couple of miles from where the accident took place, Pennings said.

“He was pretty traumatized,” Pennings said.

The impact severed the deceased man’s lower legs, Pennings said, and sent the rest of his body through the windshield into the vehicle.

Mittleman told investigators the accident was unavoidable—he came upon the man so suddenly there was no time to make any evasive maneuvers. Pennings said since the investigation is not complete he could not say if the driver would face charges.

Alcohol is not suspected. A sobriety test determined the driver was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The identity of the La Mesa man was withheld pending notification of his family. It’s not known why he was on the freeway.