A passenger died early Thursday after a car left a freeway transition road in Boyle Heights and landed beneath an overpass. The driver survived and was detained on suspicion of driving under the influence.
The crash occurred on the northbound 5 Freeway transition road to the eastbound 10 Freeway, according to a California Highway Patrol traffic log cited by KTLA. The vehicle came to rest beneath the overpass and became wedged there, according to the report.
The passenger was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the CHP. No identity information for the victim has been released to the public, and authorities have not identified the driver.
Driver Detained, DUI Suspected
The driver was detained on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to a report by KTLA reporter Ginger Chan. Authorities have not publicly released further details about the driver's condition or announced charges in the case.
Alcohol-crash context and a prior interchange wreck
For broader context, the California Office of Traffic Safety reported that deaths in alcohol-involved crashes fell 11.92%, from 306 to 266, in the grant-funded results reported in its FY 2023 annual report. The Office of Traffic Safety report uses the term “alcohol-involved,” while the Safe Transportation Research and Education Center distinguishes alcohol-impaired fatal crashes as those involving an estimated blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or greater from crashes where law enforcement reported drinking without a specific BAC measurement, according to SafeTREC. The Boyle Heights interchange has also been the site of another major crash. The Los Angeles Times reported that a separate wreck on Dec. 28, 2025, on the southbound 5 Freeway transition ramp to the westbound 10 Freeway killed one person and sent 10 others to hospitals; the cause was unclear in that report.
Statewide crash context
For broader context, California recorded 3,982 people killed, 203,888 people injured and 3,672 fatal crashes in 2020, according to the California Highway Patrol's 2020 statewide annual report.
Emergency crews and investigators responded to the fatal crash. Officials have not detailed what caused the car to leave the transition road.
Freeway Closures Snarl Overnight Traffic
The investigation kept the transition road closed for several hours overnight and caused delays on the 5, 10 and 60 freeways while crews worked at the scene.
The CHP canceled the SigAlert by 7 a.m., and all lanes had reopened by then. No further updates on the investigation had been released as of Thursday afternoon.
