ESCONDIDO - A man who died after being struck by a cement truck early this week on Interstate 15 in Escondido was a local resident, a San Diego County medical examiner's investigator said Tuesday.

The victim, 71-year-old George Wiland Jelks, lived in Escondido, she said.

Welks was apparently changing a flat tire on his 2000 Cadillac about 4:15 p.m. Monday beside the freeway's southbound lanes near Highway 78, authorities said.

For unknown reasons he walked in front of the oncoming truck traveling at 55 mph, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Lew Hall said. Jelks died at the scene.

Neither alcohol nor drugs appeared to be involved in the crash, Hall said.

Two southbound lanes of the freeway were shut down while the investigation was conducted. A traffic alert was in effect for about two hours.

The medical examiner's investigator said Jelk's survivors include his wife, Becky Nelson Jelks.

The Highway Patrol is asking witnesses to the accident to call (760) 757-1675.