A wrong-way multi-vehicle crash left one person dead and two others hospitalized in Riverside County Friday.
California Highway Patrol responded to the crash on the eastbound 10 Freeway, west of the Whitewater Rest Area, at around 2:40 a.m.
A 25-year-old Palm Springs man driving a Volkswagen Jetta was traveling the wrong way on freeway lanes when he crashed head-on into an oncoming GMC Envoy SUV.
The impact pushed the SUV into the center median, while the suspect’s car was shoved into the path of another oncoming vehicle, a Toyota C-HR.
The Volkswagen driver was killed on impact, CHP said.
The SUV driver, a 49-year-old Los Angeles man, suffered serious injuries in the crash. The Toyota driver, a 22-year-old La Quinta woman, suffered moderate injuries. Both were transported to the hospital for treatment.
The events leading up to the deadly crash are under investigation. It’s unclear whether alcohol or drugs were a factor, officials said. Neither the suspect’s nor the victims’ names were released.
Anyone with information on the case can call CHP San Gorgonio Pass Area at 951-846-5300, CHP Officer Jonathan Torres at 951-846-5300 or during after-hours, call 916-407-7511.