Collision in Encino Kills 1 and Injures Jose Lopez and 5 Others

Several people were injured and one killed as the result of a wrong-way collision Thursday evening, August 12th. 

The crash occurred in Encino on the southbound side of the 101 freeway around 7:10 p.m. 

According to CHP reports, an SUV driving westbound in the eastbound lanes collided head-on with a tractor trailer driven by Lopez. The SUV was driven by 31-year-old Cesar Iban Torres and was carrying 4 children and one unidentified woman. 

The four children sustained minor injuries and were transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. The unidentified woman was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Lopez complained of a headache but his current condition and whether or not he was hospitalized is unknown. 

It was reported that Torres attempted to flee the scene, however, officers were able to detain and arrest him. Torres was also taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center to treat his injuries. 

Lanes were shut down for a period of time following the collision. 

Although crashes involving wrong-way driving account for only 3% of motor vehicle accidents, they usually have a higher fatality rate as they are often head-on collisions. A study in Virginia concluded that those accidents which include wrong-way driving are twenty-seven times more likely to end in a fatality compared to other types of accidents.