1 dead in multi-vehicle crash, car fire on 405

Posted on December 21, 2013

Source: CBS Los Angeles

There were two separate car crashes on the San Diego 405 Freeway Friday. A single-vehicle car accident that resulted in a car fire, and a multi-vehicle accident that left one dead shut down multiple lanes in both directions and caused traffic backups.

The first accident, which was a single-vehicle car crash that resulted in a fire in the southbound lane, occurred around 6:30 a.m. The accident shut down the carpool and numbers 1 and 2 lanes, California Highway Patrol Officer Christopher Cracraft said.

The second accident occurred about 15 minutes later when a truck stopped in the northbound lane to avoid hitting a Ford Fusion, fire department spokesperson Brian Humphrey said. This caused a chain reaction as a Ford Mustang hit the truck, which then a Mercedes-Benz struck the Mustang.

The driver of the Mustang, an approximately 65-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other people, a man and a woman, were injured and transported to Northridge Hospital in unknown conditions. The name of the 65-year-old man is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin.

The fatal collision temporarily shut down all northbound traffic, but California Highway Patrol officers then reopened the two far right lanes to help with traffic, Cracraft said. All lanes were reopened by 11:30 a.m.

Both crashes remain under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

If you need a car accident lawyer call The Accident Attorneys Group at 877-857-7720.

Source: CBS Los Angeles and My Fox LA