A truck traveling south on the 73 Toll Road veered in to a CalTrans grader on Thursday afternoon, killing the driver and completely shutting down the freeway for hours, authorities said.

Update: 73 re-opens hours after fatal crash in Irvine

CHP responds to a fatality on the southbound lanes of the 73 Toll Road in Irvine. (Photo by Richard Koehler, Contributing Photographer)

CHP responds to a fatality on the southbound lanes of the 73 Toll Road in Irvine. (Photo by Richard Koehler, Contributing Photographer)

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CHP responds to a fatality on the southbound lanes of the 73 Toll Road in Irvine. (Photo by Richard Koehler, Contributing Photographer)

CHP responds to a fatality on the southbound lanes of the 73 Toll Road in Irvine. (Photo by Richard Koehler, Contributing Photographer)

California Highway Patrol officers and Cal Tans officials investigate fatal accident on southbound 73 Freeway just north of Bonita Canyon Drive, Thursday afternoon, April 5, 2018. Driver of truck was killed and a passenger in the car was transported to local trauma center. (Photo by RICHARD KOEHLER,CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)



The Ford F-250 swerved into the center divide, where a CalTrans grader and crew were working on repairs, authorities said. The truck slammed in to the back of the grader, killing the driver — the only person in the car, said California Highway Patrol Officer Paul Fox.

The victim was a 30-year-old Hispanic male whose identity was not immediately released.

Immediately after the crash, an SUV traveling behind the Ford crashed in to debris left by the initial crash, Fox said. One passenger was transported to the hospital with minor injuries; the driver was not injured.

No CalTrans employees were injured in the crash, which was under investigation.

By 3:15 p.m., the southbound 73 was still completely closed down, with traffic diverted off the freeway at MacArthur Boulevard. The southbound lanes were expected to re-open later Thursday evening.