Two fatal crashes less than two miles apart brought the westbound 60 Freeway to a standstill during Monday's morning rush hour, shutting lanes near Mountain Avenue and Central Avenue and backing traffic up for miles towards the 15 Freeway.
The first collision was reported shortly before 6am near Mountain Avenue, where a motorcyclist ended up in freeway lanes. A second crash, involving a semi-truck and a Lexus, was logged at about 6.36am near Central Avenue.
The incidents created two separate emergency scenes at successive westbound exits during a busy commuter period. By around 9am, traffic remained backed up for miles as crews worked at both locations.
Mountain Avenue and Central Avenue are successive exits on this stretch of the westbound 60 Freeway. The available reporting did not establish that the crashes were connected.
Motorcyclist Involved in First 60 Freeway Fatal Crash
The first crash occurred shortly before 6am near the Mountain Avenue exit, based on preliminary information from the California Highway Patrol incident log. A motorcyclist was reported to have ended up in the traffic lanes.
A SigAlert was issued after the collision was reported as a fatality, and the coroner's office was requested at the scene. Three lanes near Mountain Avenue were closed while authorities investigated.
No identity for the motorcyclist was included in the available reporting. The circumstances in which the rider came to be in the freeway lanes, and the cause of the collision, had not been publicly established.
Semi-Truck and Lexus Crash Followed Near Central Avenue
A second fatal crash was reported at about 6.36am near Central Avenue, about a mile from the earlier collision. Preliminary details from the California Highway Patrol incident log, cited in reporting by the New York Post, said it involved a semi-truck and a Lexus.
The incident log reportedly stated that the semi-truck 'drove up the embankment' before colliding with the Lexus. One of the drivers was taken to hospital and later died, according to Sky5 reporting cited in the account.
It was not immediately clear which vehicle the driver who died had been operating. The reports did not state why the semi-truck left the roadway, and no responsibility for the crash had been established.
Traffic Backs Up Towards the 15 Freeway
The proximity of the separate crash scenes compounded disruption on the westbound 60 Freeway. Three lanes were closed near Mountain Avenue, while the Central Avenue on-ramp was closed after the second collision.
At around 9am, traffic was still backed up for miles towards the 15 Freeway, according to the reported CHP incident log and Sky5 updates. Motorists were advised to avoid the area while the closures and investigations continued.
The collisions were reported as separate fatal crashes, but the available accounts did not establish a connection between them. Authorities had not released the identities of those who died or the causes of either collision at the time of publication.
The California Highway Patrol was contacted for additional information, according to the report. Further official updates may clarify the circumstances of both fatal crashes on the 60 Freeway.
