An early morning crash on the 210 Freeway in the Sunland area of Los Angeles on Wednesday left one person dead and caused significant traffic delays. The incident, involving a Toyota Prius and a semi-truck, was reported approximately at 2:15 a.m. on the westbound 210 Freeway, just east of Sunland Boulevard. The California Highway Patrol confirmed that the Prius rear-ended the semi and became wedged beneath its trailer, as stated in a report by KTLA.
The driver of the Prius was found dead at the scene, as noted by CHP Officer Sergio Garcia to City News Service. Rescue crews worked to extricate the driver, and clean-up operations were underway to carefully clear spilled oil from the highway's right shoulder. Initial reports from the CHP revealed the big rig's trailer was heavily loaded with over 3 million pounds of produce, prompting the authorities to temporarily shut down multiple traffic lanes to safely manage the accident scene and commence their investigation.
Traffic was impeded at Lowell Avenue before the CHP issued a SigAlert at 3:16 a.m., which resulted in the closure of lanes 3 and 4. By 4:27 a.m., lane 3 was reopened, but lane 4 remained closed even longer, as said in the same City News Service article. The freeway was later fully reopened around 6:45 a.m., according to information provided by the California Highway Patrol.
The aftermath of the collision caused not only a significant traffic backup but also led to an extended investigation by the CHP into the crash's exact cause. As commuters were directed to seek alternative routes, it was also unclear if the semi-truck driver had sustained any injuries from the impact. CHP officials have not yet released details on the probable cause of the crash, which remains actively under investigation, according to multiple sources.
