Emily Alvarenga contributed to this report.
California Highway Patrol officers are investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash that left one dead, after responding to reports of a maroon Toyota Camry that crashed in the southbound lanes of the truck route on Interstate 5 in the Newhall Pass early Saturday morning.
CHP officials issued an hours-long SigAlert following the crash, which was reported at 12:52 a.m., according to Officer Tony Polizzi. Officers temporarily shut down all southbound lanes of the I-5, just north of the Highway 14 junction, during the course of their investigation.
“We arrived at 1:12 (a.m.),” said Polizzi, “and issued the SigAlert at 1:20 (a.m.) for the truck route.”
Both Los Angeles County and L.A. city fire officials responded to the incident, extricating a man, who was treated for injuries at a local trauma center, according to Michael Pittman, supervising fire dispatcher for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Though it was originally reported as two fatalities, the man who was extricated, while initially thought to have succumbed to injuries, was the driver, and is being treated for moderate head injuries at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, according to a press release issued by CHP officials Saturday.
The right-front passenger sustained a fatal head injury and was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to CHP officials.
The driver was thought to be going in excess of 100 mph at the time of the crash, according to a preliminary incident report. CHP officers are investigating whether drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.
The driver was thought to be going in excess of 100 mph on the southbound I-5 and was passing vehicles in the center divider before losing control, according to witnesses. The vehicle then traveled down the dirt embankment onto the truck lanes, overturning several times before coming to a stop on its wheels, the release stated.
The driver was evaluated by the investigating officer at the hospital on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol and was placed under arrest, according to officials.
The identity of the deceased man has yet to be released pending notification of next of kin.
The SigAlert remained in effect until 5:23 a.m. while officers finished their investigation and worked to clear the scene, according to CHP officials.
The investigation is still pending and anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to call the CHP Newhall-area Office at 661-294-5540.
This is a breaking news story and more information will be posted as it becomes available.
