Two women lost their lives, and a 1-year-old child was injured in a tragic car crash in Pomona late Saturday night. The accident involved a wrong-way driver who was allegedly under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that they received calls about a vehicle traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of the 60 Freeway near the 71 Freeway around 11 p.m. When officers arrived, they found the aftermath of a head-on collision involving three cars.
The wrong-way vehicle, a 2013 Honda Accord, collided with a 2018 Honda Civic. The impact caused the Accord to spin out and strike a third vehicle, a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The two women in the Civic, aged 29 and 39, both from Huntington Park, were pronounced dead at the scene. A 1-year-old child who was also in the Civic suffered serious injuries and was taken to Children’s Hospital of Orange County for treatment.
Rick Rodriguez, a 24-year-old man driving the Accord, was arrested on suspicion of DUI. He sustained major injuries and was hospitalized.
Veronica Segura, the 47-year-old driver of the Highlander, was taken to Pomona Valley Hospital with minor injuries.
In response to the crash, the CHP issued a SigAlert, closing the westbound lanes of the 60 Freeway between Ramona Boulevard and Garey Avenue for several hours. The lanes were reopened early Sunday morning.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to reach out to Officer J. Garcia at the CHP Baldwin Park Area Office.