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A 58-year-old Las Vegas man died in an eight- vehicle crash on the Santa Monica (10) Freeway in Santa Monica, authorities said today
The crash on the eastbound Santa Monica (10) Freeway outside the McClure Tunnel at the Lincoln Boulevard overpass was reported at 5:46 p.m. Saturday, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Elizabeth Kravig and Santa Monica Fire Department Capt. Patrick Nulty.
Witnesses told the CHP the Las Vegas man was driving a 2015 Land Rover at a high rate of speed before he collided into a 2021 Tesla and a 2009 Infiniti, causing the Infiniti to collide with a 2016 Dodge, according to CHP Officer G. Pepi. The Land Rover then collided with a 2019 Kia, overturned and collided into a 2018 Jeep causing the Jeep to collide with a Honda and a Toyota, Pepi said.
A 29-year-old Santa Monica woman in the Jeep was taken to a hospital with what were described as major injuries, Pepi said. Two passengers in the Infiniti were taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries, the officer said. The Las Vegas man's name was withheld pending notification of next of kin. The CHP investigation continued and it was not yet known whether alcohol and/or drugs were a factor, Pepi said.
The CHP issued a SigAlert and all eastbound lanes were temporarily blocked at the site for the death and crash investigations. Lane No. 1 was reopened at 7:50 p.m. Saturday and the entire freeway was reopened at 10:05 p.m..