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Studio City, CA – Off-Duty LA County Deputy Marcos Pena Jr. Among Two Killed in Tragic US-101 Crash in Studio City
Studio City, CA, June 17, 2025 – Authorities have confirmed that an off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy was one of two individuals tragically killed early Tuesday morning in a deadly collision on the westbound 101 Freeway near Tujunga Avenue, close to the interchange with the 134 and 170 Freeways. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department identified the deceased deputy as 31-year-old Marcos Pena Jr., who had joined the department in 2022. Officials said Pena was driving a black KIA subcompact SUV, which came to a stop on the freeway under still-unclear circumstances at approximately 2:19 a.m. on June 18. After the vehicle stopped, both Pena and a female passenger exited the SUV. Moments later, a white box truck struck the pair. Pena and the woman both sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene . The crash prompted a significant emergency response and temporarily shut down portions of the freeway during the investigation. Authorities have not yet determined why Pena’s vehicle had stopped in the active traffic lane, and whether mechanical failure, a prior collision, or other factors played a role.