A driver was killed early Monday after a car slammed into the right shoulder wall of the southbound 710 Freeway at Long Beach Boulevard and flipped over, authorities said. First responders arrived to find a person lying outside the overturned vehicle and pronounced them dead at the scene. Long Beach Animal Care Services was later called in to remove a dog that had been inside the car.
The crash was first reported to the California Highway Patrol at 12:07 a.m. on the southbound Long Beach (710) Freeway at Long Beach Boulevard, according to Long Beach Post. A witness told the CHP the black sedan had been driven recklessly before it hit the shoulder wall, overturned and ejected a person, the outlet reported. The CHP said the ejected motorist was pronounced dead at the scene and had not released the victim’s identity at the time of the initial report.
Where This Happened And Broader Trends
The 710 corridor is a major freight and commuter route, and crashes there tend to snarl traffic across Long Beach. The city recorded 53 fatal traffic collisions in 2025, the highest total in more than a decade, a trend that has pushed officials to press for faster street and freeway safety fixes, as reported in a recent speed-focused safety report. Residents and advocates continue to point to speeding and delays in infrastructure improvements as key drivers of the rising toll.
Investigation Underway
The California Highway Patrol is leading the collision investigation and has not yet said whether impairment, speed or mechanical problems played a role, according to City News Service. Collision investigators typically document the scene, interview witnesses and review evidence before releasing findings, and authorities said they plan to provide updates as more information becomes available. Long Beach Post and City News Service both contributed to initial coverage of the crash.
