Man hit and seriously injured on SR-163 after getting out of broken down car to call for help

A 28-year-old man was seriously injured early Friday when he got out of his broken down car to call for help on State Route 163 and was hit by a passing car, California Highway Patrol said.

The driver was heading north on the freeway when he crashed his Nissan Sentra into the center median wall south of Genesee shortly before 1 a.m., officer Jesse Matias said.

The disabled Sentra ended up in the traffic lanes. The San Diego man got out and was trying to call passing motorists for help when he was hit by a Toyota Camry, Matias said.

The man was taken to hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The driver of the Camry, a 26-year-old man from San Diego, remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

Neither drugs nor alcohol are believed to have played a role in the collision, which is still under investigation. Matias said.