1 Dead, 1 Hurt, Driver Arrested In Oakland 880 Crash
OAKLAND (CBS SF) - A crash on Interstate Highway 880 in Oakland Thursday night killed a driver and injured his passenger, while the other driver involved was arrested for drunk driving, according to the CHP.
At about 8 p.m., passersby alerted the CHP of the wreck, which prompted the closure of northbound Interstate 880, near the connector ramp to Interstate Highway 80, for nearly three hours, CHP Officer Peter Van Eckhardt said.
Van Eckhardt said that witnesses saw a burgundy 1995 Chevrolet S10 pickup truck flip over on its side while traveling north on I-880 after a silver 2004 Kia Spectra sped through lanes and, in an attempt to connect onto westbound Interstate 80, collided with the truck.
The two occupants inside the truck became trapped after tumbling across the roadway, according to Van Eckhardt.
Van Eckhardt said that emergency personnel were able to dislodge both occupants.
The driver, identified as 26-year-old Alexander Chappell of Richmond, was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner's bureau said he died from blunt trauma to the head.
The passenger was transported to Alta Bates Summit Medical Center with critical injuries but was expected to survive.
Both the driver and passenger were wearing seatbelts, a deputy coroner said.
CHP officers arrested the driver of the Spectra after determining that the motorist was driving under the influence, Van Eckhardt said.
A Sig-alert was issued at approximately 8:10 p.m. and was canceled at 10:25 p.m., Van Eckhardt said.
All lanes of Highway 880 were reopened at about 11 p.m., after Caltrans had finished clearing debris off of the roadway.
(Copyright 2011 by CBSSan Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)