Child dies, three other people seriously injured in Placer County crash on I-80
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- A child died and three other people suffered major injuries in a crash along I-80.
- The CHP said the car went off the road and struck a tree.
- The I-80 westbound lanes were closed as authorities worked at the scene.
A child died and three other people suffered major injuries Thursday after a car they were in drove off Interstate 80 and struck a tree in Placer County, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The deadly single-vehicle crash occurred shortly after noon along the westbound lanes of I-80 near Highway 174 in the town of Colfax.
The car apparently spun out on the freeway and went up an embankment before hitting a tree, said Officer Jason Lyman, a spokesperson for the CHP’s Gold Run office
He said the car’s engine compartment caught fire before the flames were later put out. One child in the car died as the result of the crash, Lyman said, and three others suffered major injuries. He didn’t have any further information about the people in the car.
That portion of I-80 was shut down to all westbound traffic for 30 minutes as authorities worked at the scene. About 2:20 p.m., Lyman said one westbound lane had already been reopened. He anticipated the other lane would reopen after 3 p.m.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
