Author name: CCAR Staff

A multi-vehicle crash in the Cajon Pass snarled traffic for Monday morning commuters.

Just before 5 a.m., the California Highway Patrol received several calls of a crash involving up to five vehicles on the southbound 15 Freeway north of Kenwood Avenue which blocked several lanes of the roadway, according to the CHP incident log.

There were several other smaller crashes reported after the first and caused a back-up for several miles nearly to Highway 138, according to reports. No serious injuries were reported.

Although most of the lanes of traffic were cleared by 6 a.m., heavy slowing on the southbound lanes continued for some time.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Aldon Smith released by San Francisco 49ers after latest arrest.

ONTARIO >> A motorcyclist was injured in a Friday morning crash near Inland Center Drive and Archibald Avenue, Ontario police said.

The crash was first reported just after 7 a.m. and involved a motorcycle and car, said Sgt. Jeff Higbee, spokesman for the police department.

The rider had obvious injuries, but they did not appear to be life-threatening, he said.

The inujred rider was taken to a hospital.

Details into what caused the crash were not immediately released.

GLENDORA >> Authorities said a man walking on the 57 Freeway was hit by two big rigs in two separate incidents on Thursday, killing him and closing a portion of the freeway for several hours.

Officials shut down the northbound 57 Freeway transition road to the westbound 210 Freeway at 1:06 p.m. until about 3:45 p.m. Thursday, California Highway Patrol Officer Rodrigo Jimenez said.

Los Angeles County Department of the Medical Examiner-Coroner officials did not have an identity for the man, however, CHP officials identified him as Jesus Quezada Duran Jr., 53, of Covina,

Duran parked his 1950 Chevrolet sedan on the right shoulder and was seen walking on the northbound lanes of the 57 Freeway south of Covina Boulevard around 12:30 p.m., Jimenez said.

Duran stepped in front of a big rig and the driver swerved left to avoid hitting him, but Duran was struck and sustained unknown injuries, Jimenez said.

Witnesses said Duran re-entered his vehicle and drove away from the scene, continuing north on the 57 Freeway. Halfway across the transition road, Duran parked his vehicle on the right shoulder and stepped into the path of a second big rig. Jimenez said.

Witnesses are asked to contact the CHP Baldwin Park Station at 626-338-1164.

CORONA — At least 10 vehicles were involved in a series of collisions on the Riverside (91) Freeway early today.

• TRENDING: Motorists stopped on 91 Freeway take to Twitter, Instagram

The collisions occurred in the westbound lanes just west of Green River Road around 4:40 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. Between 10 and 12 vehicles were involved in the collisions, according to the CHP.

One minor injury was reported, a Corona Fire Department battalion chief said.

A SigAlert of unknown duration was declared for the HOV and No. 1 lanes of the westbound freeway.

LOS ANGELES >> The trial for a Fontana woman accused of causing a wrong way crash on the 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar the left six dead last year is expected to begin next year, defense attorneys said Wednesday.

Prosecutors, defense attorneys as well as Olivia Carolee Culbreath, 22, were in court at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles Wednesday.

Some discovery issues still needed to be worked out, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Padilla told Judge Dennis Landin.

The lawyers will return to court Oct. 7 and trial will begin within 90 days.

Outside the courtroom defense attorney Kelly Sheahen Gerner said the trial could begin in late January or early February.

Culbreath is accused of driving a Chevrolet Camaro east on the westbound 60 Freeway at speeds near 100 mph on Feb. 9, 2014. She allegedly was involved in a wrong way crash at about 4:45 a.m. in Diamond Bar, the California Highway Patrol said.

The car crashed head-on into a sport utility vehicle. Another vehicle subsequently crashed into the SUV, the CHP said.

Six people died, among them two women, who were in Culbreath’s car. One of the women was Culbreath’s sister, Maya, 24, of Rialto, and the other was Kristin Melissa Young, 21, of Chino.

• Photos: 6 killed in wrong-way crash on 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar

Four Huntington Park residents Gregorio Mejia-Martinez, 47; Leticia Ibarra, 42; Jessica Jasmine Mejia, 20; and Ester Delgado, 80, in the SUV were thrown from the vehicle and died.

CHP investigators said during a pre-trial hearing that witnesses saw Culbreath drinking at a Fullerton bar hours before the crash.

Judge Sam Ohta, who has been handling the case since it was moved from Pomona to Los Angeles, was not in court Wednesday. He is on a temporary appellate court assignment, defense attorney Robert Sheahen said.

Once the judge returns the final details related to setting a trial date will be worked out, the lawyers said.

Culbreath appeared in court Wednesday in a wheel chair and wearing brown jail clothing. In most of her past appearances she was wearing a hospital gown.

Sheahen Gerner said she recently visited her client at the jail ward of Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center.

Culbreath has had five to six surgeries to repair damage to her digestive system, Sheahen Gerner said.

“Slowly but surely she is improving,” Sheahen Gerner said. “It’s been a very physically and traumatic experience for her.”

Police believe a wrong-way driver who caused a fiery and deadly crash on the Gerald Desmond Bridge Saturday morning is the same man who crashed through barricades set up for the Special Olympic athletes competing in Long Beach later that same morning.

Long Beach police received reports that a man in a 2012 Mercedes-Benz sedan was “driving erratically and crashing through barricades” in the area of the Special Olympic half-marathon, according to a Long Beach Police Department press release issued Saturday night.

Long Beach police spokeswoman Marlene Arrona said the athletes were not on the course at the time, and no injuries were reported.

Officers attempted to follow the car through the downtown bicycle path after it struck numerous objects but lost sight of the vehicle, police said.

Witnesses to a three-car crash on the Gerald Desmond Bridge at about 7:11 a.m. alerted officers that it may have involved the erratic driver from earlier in the morning. Police have since identified the driver as Alvin Ray Shaw, 28, of Hawthorne.

The crash killed a man driving a pickup truck and closed the southern link between Long Beach and San Pedro for hours.

Shaw and the driver of a Ford Fusion, an unidentified 21-year-old from San Pedro, are hospitalized in critical condition. Authorities have yet to identify the driver of the pickup truck.

In addition, a police officer who tried to aid the pickup driver was hospitalized after injuring his arm, said Jake Heflin, spokesman for the Long Beach Fire Department.

• Video: Long Beach fire spokesman describes the accident

Police said Shaw entered the eastbound lanes of Ocean Boulevard at Golden Shore traveling westbound towards the Gerald Desmond Bridge against eastbound traffic.

At the crest of the bridge, Shaw allegedly collided with the Fusion and the Nissan pickup, both of which were traveling eastbound, police said.

The 7:11 a.m. crash, which remains under investigation, initially closed the bridge in both directions with police warning motorists to stay away from the area. Westbound lanes of the bridge were reopened around 11:30 a.m. Eastbound lanes reopened about 3 p.m.

Tony Seymour, a 54-year-old San Pedro resident, was crossing the bridge on his way to Irvine when the accident happened.

“I was probably four rows [of vehicles] back,” Seymour said. “It seemed so surreal.”

At first, none of the vehicles caught fire, Seymour said. A short time later, a few flames could be seen emanating from the Mercedes. It wasn’t long after that the pickup caught fire too.

“It just burst into flames,” Seymour said.

Police officers arrived and tried to put out the fires with fire extinguishers, he said. The flames would die down momentarily only to come back stronger.

Then firefighters arrived.

Seymour said he saw a firefighter reach into the Mercedes, turn around and throw up.

“He just emptied his guts,” he said. “There was someone in the back of the Mercedes. They were desperate to get this guy out. All I could hear was screaming.”

Long Beach fire spokesman Heflin described the pickup truck as “well involved” in flames.

“Unfortunately, the driver of that vehicle is our confirmed fatality,” he said.

Fire officials contacted the U.S. Coast Guard about gas and oil from the accident on the bridge leaking into the water, Heflin said.

Police said it is unknown whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Detective Sirilo Garcia at 562-570-7355. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or text TIPLA plus your tip to 274637 (CRIMES), or visit www.LACrimeStoppers.org.

Greg Yee contributed to this report.

Police believe a wrong-way driver who caused a fiery and deadly crash on the Gerald Desmond Bridge Saturday morning is the same man who crashed through barricades set up for the Special Olympic athletes competing in Long Beach later that same morning.

Long Beach police received reports that a man in a 2012 Mercedes-Benz sedan was “driving erratically and crashing through barricades” in the area of the Special Olympic half-marathon, according to a Long Beach Police Department press release issued Saturday night.

Long Beach police spokeswoman Marlene Arrona said the athletes were not on the course at the time, and no injuries were reported.

Officers attempted to follow the car through the downtown bicycle path after it struck numerous objects but lost sight of the vehicle, police said.

Witnesses to a three-car crash on the Gerald Desmond Bridge at about 7:11 a.m. alerted officers that it may have involved the erratic driver from earlier in the morning. Police have since identified the driver as Alvin Ray Shaw, 28, of Hawthorne.

The crash killed a man driving a pickup truck and closed the southern link between Long Beach and San Pedro for hours.

Shaw and the driver of a Ford Fusion, an unidentified 21-year-old from San Pedro, are hospitalized in critical condition. Authorities have yet to identify the driver of the pickup truck.

In addition, a police officer who tried to aid the pickup driver was hospitalized after injuring his arm, said Jake Heflin, spokesman for the Long Beach Fire Department.

• Video: Long Beach fire spokesman describes the accident

Police said Shaw entered the eastbound lanes of Ocean Boulevard at Golden Shore traveling westbound towards the Gerald Desmond Bridge against eastbound traffic.

At the crest of the bridge, Shaw allegedly collided with the Fusion and the Nissan pickup, both of which were traveling eastbound, police said.

The 7:11 a.m. crash, which remains under investigation, initially closed the bridge in both directions with police warning motorists to stay away from the area. Westbound lanes of the bridge were reopened around 11:30 a.m. Eastbound lanes reopened about 3 p.m.

Tony Seymour, a 54-year-old San Pedro resident, was crossing the bridge on his way to Irvine when the accident happened.

“I was probably four rows [of vehicles] back,” Seymour said. “It seemed so surreal.”

At first, none of the vehicles caught fire, Seymour said. A short time later, a few flames could be seen emanating from the Mercedes. It wasn’t long after that the pickup caught fire too.

“It just burst into flames,” Seymour said.

Police officers arrived and tried to put out the fires with fire extinguishers, he said. The flames would die down momentarily only to come back stronger.

Then firefighters arrived.

Seymour said he saw a firefighter reach into the Mercedes, turn around and throw up.

“He just emptied his guts,” he said. “There was someone in the back of the Mercedes. They were desperate to get this guy out. All I could hear was screaming.”

Long Beach fire spokesman Heflin described the pickup truck as “well involved” in flames.

“Unfortunately, the driver of that vehicle is our confirmed fatality,” he said.

Fire officials contacted the U.S. Coast Guard about gas and oil from the accident on the bridge leaking into the water, Heflin said.

Police said it is unknown whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Detective Sirilo Garcia at 562-570-7355. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or text TIPLA plus your tip to 274637 (CRIMES), or visit www.LACrimeStoppers.org.

Greg Yee contributed to this report.

LONDON >> Three relatives of the late al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden were among four people killed when a private jet crashed on landing in southern England, British police confirmed Saturday.

The Hampshire Police force said formal post-mortems were still being conducted, but the victims were believed to be “the mother, sister and brother-in-law of the owner of the aircraft, all of whom are from the bin Laden family.” It said all three were Saudi nationals who were visiting Britain on vacation. The plane’s Jordanian pilot also died.

Arab media and NBC News named the relatives as Osama Bin Laden’s stepmother Rajaa Hashim, his sister Sana bin Laden and her husband Zuhair Hashim.

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Britain, Prince Mohammed Bin Nawaf Bin Abdel-Aziz, offered his condolences to the wealthy bin Laden family, which owns a major construction company in Saudi Arabia.

“The embassy will follow up on the incident and its circumstances with the concerned British authorities and work on speeding up the handover of the bodies of the victims to the kingdom for prayer and burial,” the ambassador said in a statement tweeted by the embassy.

Police said the Embraer Phenom 300 executive jet crashed into a parking lot and burst into flames while trying to land at Blackbushe Airport in southern England Friday afternoon.

The plane was flying from Malpensa Airport in Milan to the airfield about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of London, which is used by private planes and flying clubs.

No one on the ground was hurt. Police and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch launched a joint investigation.

Andrew Thomas, who was at a car auction sales center based at the airport, told the BBC that “the plane nosedived into the cars and exploded on impact.” He said he saw the plane and several cars in flames.

The plane’s pilot was Mazen Salem al-Dajah, a Jordanian in his late 50s. His brother Ziad told The Associated Press that al-Dajah’s family had been told of his death by a representative of the bin Laden family’s corporation. He said al-Dajah received his pilot’s license in California about 25 years ago and had been employed by the bin Laden family.

The bin Laden family disowned Osama in 1994 when Saudi Arabia stripped him of his citizenship because of his militant activities. The al-Qaida leader was killed by U.S. special forces in Pakistan in 2011.

The family is a large and wealthy one. Osama bin Laden’s billionaire father Mohammed had more than 50 children and founded the Binladen Group, a sprawling construction conglomerate awarded many major building contracts in the Sunni kingdom.

Mohammed bin Laden died in a plane crash in Saudi Arabia in 1967. One of his sons, Salem, was killed when his ultralight aircraft flew into power lines in San Antonio, Texas, in 1988.

___

Gambrell reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Maamoun Youssef in Cairo and Omar Akour in Amman, Jordan contributed to this report.