CHP releases info about patrol car crash on I-10

Traffic slowed on eastbound I-10 Thursday afternoon after three cars crashed, including a CHP patrol SUV. The collision happened just east of Monterey Avenue.

According to the driver one of the vehicles, he was driving in the slow lane when two CHP patrol SUVs came up fast from behind. He tells us that one tried to pass on the shoulder but crashed into the back of his car.

The California Highway Patrol released information about the crash on Friday. Authorities said the officer was responding to an injury collision when he was involved in the crash. The officer was attempting to change lanes from the right lane to the middle lane when he noticed a Kia Soul merging into the middle lane from the left lane at the same time, according to the release.

To avoid colliding with the Kia, the officer traveled back into the right lane, and that’s when the front of his marked, Ford patrol vehicle struck the rear of a Mitsubishi Endeavor, the CHP said.

After the impact, officers said the Mitsubishi traveled into the middle lane and struck the right front of the Kia. The Mitsubishi came to a stop in the center divider and the patrol vehicle and Kia stopped on the right shoulder.

Nobody was taken to the hospital but the driver of the Mitsubishi was in pain.

Officers said the collision is still under investigation. Alcohol and/or drugs weren’t a factor and everyone was wearing a seat belt at the time, officers said in the release.

Traffic was backed up on eastbound I-10 while officers cleared the crash.