Nelson A. Martinez, 40

Nelson A. Martinez, a 40-year-old Latino, died Wednesday, May 13, after sustaining blunt force trauma at Frazier Mountain Park and Lebec roads, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Kern County fire officials received a call about 5:45 p.m. about a person having a seizure just within the county line on Frazier Mountain Park Road. Upon arriving, Kristina Fort, 50, was irate and threatened first responders with a knife, according to the California High Patrol incident report.

Fort then got into an unlocked ambulance at the scene and fled at speeds up to 100 mph. The incident report said Fort was driving erratically and into oncoming traffic.

Martinez was driving a semi tractor-trailer combination on Frazier Mountain Park Road as Fort approached.

Martinez was in the left lane preparing to turn into the Flying J Travel Plaza when Fort turned directly head on with the rig, the incident report said.  

The ambulance collided head on with the left front side of the tractor. Martinez was killed instantly. He was pronounced dead at 6:40 p.m. by the Kern County Fire Department.

Fort was pinned inside the ambulance and fire officials used the jaws of life to help remove her from the vehicle, according to officials. She later died at the scene from her injuries.

Martinez’s death was ruled a homicide and Fort’s death as a suicide, according to coroner’s reports.

Sgt. Michael Rodriguez with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said CHP officials later determined the collision occurred within L.A. County and handed the investigation over to sheriff’s deputies.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @jeromercampbell and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.