Local restaurant owner dies in freeway crash

A Newport Beach man was killed in a Ventura County freeway crash early Friday, the California Highway Patrol said.

Eric Doran, 36, owner of Eat Chow restaurant in Costa Mesa, died on the 101 Freeway in Thousand Oaks at about 5:16 a.m. when a truck rear-ended his classic Model A Roadster at high speed as Doran slowed for early morning construction on the freeway, CHP officials said Saturday.

Authorities said Doran and his wife were slowing in their roadster as they approached the coned-off lanes on the 101 when a 1998 Dodge Ram barreled into the back of them, smashing them into the Honda Accord ahead of them. Doran died at the scene and his wife was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.

Eat Chow restaurant, 1802 Newport Blvd., was opened a few years ago by Doran and his co-owner Brian McReynolds.

—Joseph Serna