Postal Worker Who Took Extra Shift On His Day Off Struck And Killed By Car In Commerce

COMMERCE (CBSLA) — A 30-year employee of the U.S. Postal Service and pastor of a La Mirada church was mourned Tuesday after he was fatally struck by a vehicle while on the job in Commerce.

Joel Perales, 58, was standing outside a U.S. Postal Service truck about 10 a.m. Monday in the 2100 block of South Atlantic Boulevard he was struck by a car, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Rick Mejia said. After hitting Perales, the car slammed into the postal truck, then struck and came to rest against the wall of a nearby business, according to Mejia.

Perales died later at a hospital.

One person in the building suffered minor injuries and was also taken to a hospital.

The car's driver stopped and passed a field sobriety test, but blood results are pending. There was no immediate indication the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and he was later released, Mejia said.

The family identified Perales in a GoFundMe page and said Monday was his day off, but had picked up an extra shift to earn a little extra money with the holidays approaching. Perales leaves behind his wife, four sons and a daughter and several grandchildren, according to the GoFundMe page.

The page also described Perales as a pastor at Templo de Alabanza in La Mirada and a die-hard Dodger fan.

"We the family would like to take this time to remind everyone out there to drive safe, observe the speed limit, and avoid accidents like these that just destroy families and loved ones," the page read.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)