1 killed, 2 injured in chain-reaction crash on 405 Fwy in Costa Mesa

COSTA MESA, Calif. (KABC) -- One person was killed and two others were injured following a chain-reaction crash on the 405 Freeway in Costa Mesa.

Shortly before midnight, two cars crashed in the slow lanes near the Bristol Street off-ramp on the southbound side of the freeway.

The impact sent one car across the freeway into the path of a third car in the carpool lane. That second crash in the carpool lane killed a passenger in one of the cars.

Two other people were transported to hospitals to be treated for moderate injuries, California Highway Patrol officials said.

The investigation caused major backups for several hours as the southbound 405 Freeway was temporarily shut down. All lanes have since reopened.

The cause of the initial wreck was not immediately known.