2 killed in wrong-way crash amid fog on 405 Freeway in Long Beach, CHP says; all SB lanes reopened

Saturday, October 31, 2020
LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Two drivers were killed in a wrong-way crash amid foggy conditions Saturday morning on the 405 Freeway in Long Beach, prompting an hourslong lane closure, authorities said.

The collision, which was reported about 3:45 a.m. on the southbound side of the freeway near Palo Verde Avenue, resulted in a separate pileup involving multiple vehicles, according to the California Highway Patrol. The number and extent of injuries in the second crash were unknown.

A 911 caller initially reported a Nissan Altima traveling northbound in southbound lanes, the CHP said. The Nissan, driven by a 23-year-old woman, struck a Toyota driven by a 32-year-old man, investigators said.

Both individuals died at the scene, where visibility was less than 20 feet due to heavy fog, a Highway Patrol spokesperson said, adding that speed was also a factor in the crash.

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The names of the deceased were not immediately disclosed.

Whether DUI was involved was under investigation, the CHP said.

All southbound traffic was diverted off the freeway at Studebaker Road for hours as crews worked to clear the crash site. At 10:15 a.m., the Highway Patrol announced that the SigAlert was canceled and all southbound lane had been reopened.
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