Early Saturday morning, a fatal incident unfolded on the 210 Freeway in Los Angeles County when one person was killed in a multi-vehicle collision, as confirmed by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The calamity took place near Lowell Avenue in the Crescenta Highlands area of Glendale, reported CBS Los Angeles. A Sigalert was issued as a result, leading to the closure of multiple lanes for hours, inducing traffic delays before lanes were reopened before 7 a.m.
Alongside the fatality, the CHP disclosed that at least one more individual was transported to the hospital in critical condition, with no immediate information on their identity, according to ABC7. The sequence of events that triggered the accident remains unclear, with investigations ongoing to determine the specifics that led up to the tragedy, though the initial collision involved several vehicles and a Nissan Pathfinder ended up on its side amidst the wreckage.
In a particularly alarming aspect of the crash, CHP officials stated that one victim was ejected from their vehicle and subsequently run over by another vehicle that then fled the scene; this statement was acquired by KTLA. The dreadful impact of this act added a hit-and-run dimension to the already grievous incident, further complicating the investigation for authorities who had to manage the scene amidst a substantial freeway closure.
Efforts to manage the scene stretches into hours after the crash with a SigAlert maintaining that all lanes were closed until the #1 lane was first reopened at approximately 4:34 a.m., and by 6:50 a.m., the diligent efforts of emergency services and law enforcement allowed for the reopening of all lanes as CHP confirmed, these efforts were multifaceted and concerted among several teams who attended the incident, attempting to establish semblance amidst chaos and seeking to bring solace through due process of investigation. The California Highway Patrol continues to seek any information that could shed light on the hit-and-run vehicle and encourages witnesses to come forward.
