A Fullerton man died early Thursday after he was involved in a multiple-vehicle crash while driving the wrong way on I-15 in Riverside County, officials said.
Two other people were injured in the crash, the California Highway Patrol said.
According to the CHP, Jeffrey Murphy, 36, who was driving a Honda CRV, was going north on the southbound side of the freeway in Lake Elsinore about 1:05 a.m. when his car collided with a 2004 Honda Accord that was going 70 mph. The impact from the crash flipped Murphy’s car directly in front of an oncoming big-rig going 55 mph, the CHP said. The impact caused him to be ejected.
Murphy died from his injuries at 1:32 a.m., according to the Riverside County coroner’s office.
The CHP said Brooke White, 20, of San Diego, was standing outside of a U-Haul truck on the right shoulder of the freeway with two other vehicles. When the semi-tractor crashed with the flipped Honda CRV, it spun clockwise and hit White, according to the CHP.
Authorities said White was taken to the Inland Valley Medical Center with major injuries.
Elbert Barbar, 58, of Murrieta, was driving the Honda Accord and was treated for minor injuries at the scene, the CHP said.
Officials said two other cars driving south on the freeway that morning were damaged by debris.
A SigAlert was issued on the southbound 15 between 1:16 a.m. and 5:45 a.m.
The cause of the crash is unknown and it has not been determined how fast Murphy was driving before the crash. It is also unknown if alcohol or drugs were a factor, authorities said.
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