Investigation Continues into Triple-Fatal Wrong-Way Crash on 91 Freeway

An investigation was continuing Friday into a wrong-way crash on the Riverside (91) Freeway that killed three people. The crash occurred around 2 a.m.

Fire response and evacuations

Thursday on the westbound 91 near 14th street in downtown Riverside, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Officer Javier Navarro said a still-unidentified man allegedly drove his Kia Sportage onto the 91, possibly entering at Madison Street, intending to go eastbound, but ending up in the No.

2 lane on the westbound side of the freeway, facing oncoming traffic.

Multiple drivers reported the wrong-way driver, and CHP officers began searching for the Kia moments later, Navarro said.

“The impact caused the VW to overturn, and while it was still in motion, a semi truck struck the car,” Navarro said.

Officers and Riverside Fire Department paramedics reached the location within a few minutes, at which point the Kia driver and his female passenger, a woman also not immediately identified, as well as the unidentified woman in the VW, were all pronounced dead at the scene.

Building and location background

He said roughly eight minutes after the initial 911 calls, the compact SUV “crashed head-on with a Volkswagen Jetta.”