Two Killed, Four Hospitalized In Crash With Wrong-Way Driver

LONG BEACH, CA — Two people were killed Saturday morning in a multi- vehicle crash involving nine vehicles and a wrong-way driver on the San Diego (405) Freeway in Long Beach, where four people were also sent to area hospitals, authorities said.

The wrong-way driver was one of the people killed in the crash, CBS2 reported.

The crash was reported at 3:50 a.m. on the southbound side of the freeway near Palo Verde Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol. The alleged wrong-way vehicle was described as a light-colored sedan.

Firefighters and paramedics dispatched to the scene at 3:51 a.m. rushed four patients -- including two trauma patients and two other people -- to area hospitals, Long Beach Fire Department PIO Jake Heflin said. Five other people were evaluated at the scene and were not taken to the hospital.

At least two people were ejected from a vehicle, Heflin said.

The southbound 405 Freeway was shut down for several hours between Woodruff Avenue and the 605 Freeway. The CHP reported that all southbound and northbound lanes of the freeway had re-opened at around 10:30 a.m.

—City News Service