4 Hurt, 1 Held as Truck Slams Pickup

Four people, including an 18-month-old boy, were injured when a trash truck collided with a pickup truck on a steep roadway outside the Puente Hills landfill in Bassett Friday morning .

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies said they were holding for questioning the trash truck’s driver, George Grigorian, 29, of Los Angeles, who authorities said was speeding and driving with a suspended license.

The driver of the pickup, Jose Trinidad Gonzalez, 30, of San Gabriel, was on his way to unload debris, county fire officials said. Part of the pickup was sheared off after the 14-ton truck smashed it, nearly folding it under the big truck’s high front bumper.

It took rescue workers about 20 minutes to free Gonzalez, who was listed in critical condition at County-USC Medical Center. His three passengers, including two adults and the 18-month-old, were taken to Greater El Monte Hospital. The two adults were hospitalized, one in serious condition, and the other in guarded condition. The child suffered cuts and was released after treatment. Grigorian was not injured.