By Gary Meyer

A multi-car crash involving nine vehicles caused a two-hour closure of northbound Interstate 5, near the Frazier Mountain Park Road exit, Friday, Feb. 19.

At approximately 8:20 p.m. a 21-year-old Inglewood man driving a 2005 Chevrolet lost control of his vehicle, collided with a 2008 Ford and then collided with the center guardrail, coming to rest in the fast lane of the freeway. A chain reaction of crashes followed.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) reports that a third vehicle (a 2000 Chevrolet) collided with the first vehicle, prompting the first driver to exit his vehicle. A fourth vehicle (a 2004 Toyota) then crashed into the first vehicle and came to rest across the center median and the fast lane. The fourth driver exited his vehicle just before a fifth car (a 2008 Lexus) smashed into the rear of his car, propelling it to the east side of the northbound lanes. A sixth driver (in a 1995 Toyota) was able to stop within the accident scene, but was then rearended by a seventh vehicle (a 2003 Ford). As an eighth vehicle (a 2006 Scion) entered the collision scene, the driver observed the transmission from vehicle one sitting in the fast lane, but could not avoid colliding with it.

Finally, a ninth vehicle (Toyota, year unknown) entered the accident scene and collided with an axle assembly from vehicle one.

There were no fatalities. Four drivers suffered minor injuries. Four passengers, which included two children and two adults, were transported by ambulance with minor to moderate injuries.

All northbound lanes were closed while crews cleared the vehicles from the roadway and removed slippery vehicle fluids from a large area.

According to CHP, the investigation is ongoing, but drugs and/or alcohol were not a factor in the collisions.

This is part of the February 26, 2010 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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