Early Morning Semi Truck Crash Kills Two
LOS ANGELES (February 18, 2023) – A horrific car crash on the southbound I-5 Freeway in Sun Valley took the lives of two people early Friday morning.
KTLA reports that, according to the California Highway Patrol, the fiery car wreck involving multiple vehicles occurred near the 170 Freeway split at approximately 5:20 a.m., affecting Friday morning rush hour traffic.
California Highway Patrol Officer Boyd told the news station that a white Dodge minivan had stalled in the No. 3 lane of the southbound I-5 Freeway after colliding with a blue Dodge. Although the driver of the blue Dodge was immediately able to move onto the shoulder, the stalled minivan was struck by a 2013 tractor-trailer.
As a result of the collision, the van burst into flames, and two people inside were killed.
Two Dead in Fiery Freeway Crash
Two people, an 80-year-old woman from Panorama City and a 28-year-old Sunland man, were pronounced dead at the scene by authorities.
The semi-truck driver was uninjured, but California Highway Patrol authorities noted that he was very upset about the crash. According to Boyd, the semi-truck driver told officers he did not have time to stop before colliding with the minivan, which was a transport vehicle for Access Services.
Although the investigation remains ongoing, it is believed that neither drugs nor alcohol was a factor in the fatal crash.
As a result of the truck accident, all five lanes of the I-5, including the HOV lane, had to be closed during peak rush hour times, causing gridlocked traffic through the San Fernando Valley as drivers were diverted to the 170 Freeway. According to CBS News, all five lanes were reopened around 11 a.m.
