A relative of Hicks tells CBS13’s Nick Janes he believes his cousin was doing donuts in his car on the freeway and was walking into the lanes to take pictures of the tire marks. A smashed cell phone was recovered at the scene.

CHP investigators cannot confirm that report.

“It does look like he lost control,” Officer Michael Waggoner said. “Whether or not those doughnut skid marks were related to that is being investigated. We’ll certainly consider it.”