2 dead in crashes that snarl morning commute
Various accidents on area roads, including the 10 and 605, tie up traffic. In the most serious incident, a motorcyclist is killed after slamming into the back of a van.
A series of accidents on area roads left two men dead, several people injured and traffic delayed on two major freeways during this morning's commute, authorities said.
In the most serious freeway incident, a man riding a motorcycle was killed on the 10 Freeway in West Covina.
A motorcyclist "ran into the back of a van" on the eastbound 10 Freeway at South Azusa Avenue at about 4:45 a.m., said California Highway Patrol Officer Francisco Villalobos.
Villalobos said the man, described as being in his late 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene, and officials are not sure how fast he was going when the crash occurred. No other injuries were reported.
All eastbound lanes of the freeway were closed from 5:15 to 6:45 a.m. as debris was cleared and the scene investigated. Only the fast lane was reopened by 6:45.
Eastbound drivers had to exit at Azusa Avenue and reenter at Citrus Avenue, Villalobos said. Officials said they did not yet know when they would be able to reopen the remaining lanes.
Villalobos, however, said the accident caused some delays for westbound commuters even with all lanes open, with traffic backed up to the 57 Freeway.
It was the second early-morning fatal accident on area roads.
Around midnight in Inglewood, an accident at Century and Crenshaw boulevards left another man dead, said Los Angeles County coroner's assistant chief Ed Winter.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Winter said his name would not be released until his relatives could be notified.
Then, shortly before 8 a.m., at least one vehicle overturned in a five-car crash that blocked three southbound lanes of the 605 Freeway in Norwalk.
Several people were injured in the crash near Rosecrans Avenue shortly before 8 a.m., said California Highway Patrol Officer Francisco Villalobos. The extent of the injuries was not immediately clear, he said. No one had been taken to hospitals, Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Ron Haralson said.
francisco.varaorta@latimes.com
