A person was found lying unresponsive on the ground near the intersection of Puente Avenue and Badillo Street in Baldwin Park early Tuesday morning, and Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel pronounced the individual deceased at the scene. Baldwin Park police said the death appears to be from natural causes and urged commuters to avoid the area and use alternate routes while officers remained on scene.
According to the Baldwin Park Police Department, officers and fire personnel responded after a 911 call reported the medical emergency. Per Baldwin Park News Online, the call came in at approximately 5:53 a.m. Tuesday, and paramedics pronounced the person dead roughly 10 minutes after their arrival. Police have not released the identity of the deceased.
A Major Commute Corridor Shut Down
The closure hit one of the city’s busiest crossroads during the early morning commute. The intersection of Puente Avenue and Badillo Street is designated a primary municipal gateway and major arterial route under the East San Gabriel Valley Area Plan, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning. Both Badillo Street and the stretch of Puente Avenue between Ramona Boulevard and Badillo Street are also designated heavy truck routes for commercial vehicles over three tons, per city traffic regulations, meaning the morning closure likely rippled beyond typical car traffic and into regional freight movement…