A 91 Freeway accident involving a wrong-way driver in Riverside resulted in three deaths and one injury, causing severe traffic delays during the morning commute as several lanes were closed for hours.
Details of the Riverside Wrong-Way Collision
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the fatal crash occurred around 2 a.m. on the 91 Freeway near 14th Street in Riverside. A silver Kia Sportage SUV was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes when it collided head-on with a black BMW, a white semi-truck, and a Volkswagen Jetta. A witness reported seeing the vehicle speeding and erratically weaving through traffic just before the impact.
Casualties and Emergency Response
First responders found an unresponsive man and woman inside the Kia Sportage, both of whom were pronounced dead at the scene. A female occupant inside the Volkswagen Jetta was also killed. The identities of the three deceased victims have not yet been released to the public. Another person injured in the multi-vehicle crash was transported to a hospital, though their exact medical condition remains undisclosed.
Traffic Disruption and Investigation
To accommodate emergency response and field investigations, multiple westbound lanes of the 91 Freeway and the 14th Street on-ramp were completely shut down. The road closures lasted until approximately 8:30 a.m., leading to heavy congestion and significant delays for morning commuters. The CHP is actively investigating the exact cause of the crash and how the vehicle entered the freeway going the wrong direction.
