Hacienda Heights wrong-way driver kills 11-year-old girl on 60 Freeway; suspect at large
A wrong-way driver crashed into multiple vehicles on the 60 Freeway in Hacienda Heights early Wednesday morning, killing an 11-year-old girl in another car. The suspect fled on foot and remained at large Thursday.
The California Highway Patrol responded to multiple 911 calls about a traffic collision on westbound State Route 60 near the 605 Freeway at about 4:07 a.m. Wednesday.
A 2016 Hyundai Sonata was involved in a collision with a semi-truck in westbound lanes of the 60 near the transition to the 605, according to the CHP. The big-rig jackknifed.
The Hyundai was reportedly spun around in lanes and proceeded to travel eastbound in westbound lanes of the 60 at a high rate of speed, crashing into several vehicles east of Crossroads Parkway, the CHP said. The wrong-way driver fled the scene on foot. He was reportedly barefoot.
An 11-year-old girl in a Toyota Corolla was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Two tractor-trailers sustained moderate damage, and the Hyundai and Toyota Corolla suffered major damage, according to the CHP. The scene of the collision shut down the 60 Freeway for hours Wednesday morning.
The suspect is described as a man in his mid-30s with medium-length hair parted to the side, wearing a light-colored shirt and pants. Witnesses said he was barefoot. He was last seen running eastbound away from the scene.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the California Highway Patrol Santa Fe Springs Office at (562) 868-0503.
In another wrong-way driving incident, four people were killed in a fiery crash with a wrong-way driver on the 71 Freeway in Chino Hills early Sunday morning. According to authorities, at least six cars collided with the car that entered the wrong side of the freeway at around 2:30 a.m., causing one vehicle to burst into flames in the center divider.
The driver reportedly drove onto the southbound side of the freeway via Central Avenue just before colliding with one other vehicle head-on. Both drivers were killed instantly, California Highway Patrol officers said. Multiple people also suffered injuries in the massive collision.