Four people, including three children, were hurt — one critically — when a chain-reaction crash tore through the 1000 block of Fourth Avenue near Moss Street in Chula Vista just before 8:30 a.m. Monday. A Toyota Camry pulling out of a parking lot struck a northbound Mazda 6, setting off a chaotic sequence that sent the Mazda careening into an oncoming Dodge Durango.
According to 10News, the Chula Vista Police Department said the Camry struck the Mazda while exiting the lot, and the impact sent the Mazda out of control into the path of the Durango. A juvenile passenger riding in the Mazda was gravely injured in the crash and admitted to a trauma center in critical condition. Two other boys in the Mazda were treated for minor injuries, the outlet reported.
The Mazda's driver, a 31-year-old Chula Vista woman, was taken to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The Dodge's driver, a 24-year-old man, and a child passenger riding with him were taken to a medical center for precautionary examinations. The Camry's driver, a 21-year-old Chula Vista man, was not injured, per the same account.
Fire Crews Shut Down a Major Commuter Corridor
The crash forced emergency responders to close Fourth Avenue between Moss Street and Naples Street for roughly two hours while crews processed the scene, according to a Chula Vista Fire Department
advisory posted Monday.
Under California Vehicle Code Section 21804, a driver entering or crossing a public street from a private driveway or parking lot is required to yield the right-of-way to any approaching traffic close enough to pose an immediate hazard. The statute addresses situations in which a vehicle pulls out of a lot and encounters approaching traffic.
A Stretch of Road With a Troubled History
Monday's wreck lands on a corridor that has seen repeated serious and fatal collisions in recent years. In January, a woman in her late 50s was fatally struck in the 500 block of Moss Street near Fourth Avenue, a case Hoodline previously reported. Back in March 2018, a 62-year-old pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run in the 400 block of Moss Street, as documented by CBS 8 San Diego.
A block south, on Fourth Avenue near Naples Street, a pedestrian was killed in April 2025 when struck by a vehicle driven by a 72-year-old driver, according to the Times of San Diego.
Enforcement Push Underway Before the Crash
The collision comes months after the Chula Vista Police Department rolled out a dedicated Speeding Enforcement & Traffic Safety Campaign in July targeting high-collision roadways citywide, according to the City of Chula Vista News Center. In August, the department was awarded a $97,000 grant from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to fund additional traffic safety enforcement and operations.
Regional data suggests speed and right-of-way violations remain persistent hazards on Southern California streets. During a 24-hour Maximum Enforcement Period in April, California Highway Patrol officers in the region issued 2,384 traffic citations, including 1,466 for speeding, figures that highlight how common these violations are on surface streets where high-speed impacts can turn routine driveway exits into multi-vehicle pileups.
It remains unclear whether investigators will determine speed, distraction, or failure to yield as the primary factor, and whether any citations or charges will follow once accident reconstruction is complete.
