LOS ANGELES, CA – Two people were hospitalized and one person was arrested following a three-vehicle crash involving a big rig late Saturday on State Route 14 in Lancaster, authorities said.
The collision occurred shortly before 11 p.m. Aug. 22 near Avenue H, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Three vehicles were involved: a tractor-trailer and two passenger vehicles.
Video from the aftermath showed a damaged sedan positioned near the front of the semi and a damaged SUV near the rear.
Another tractor-trailer was visible nearby but did not appear to have been involved in the collision.
Emergency personnel treated victims at the scene, including one person who appeared to have ended up off the side of the freeway following the crash.
At least two people were transported to hospitals.
Their conditions were not immediately released.
CHP also confirmed that one person was arrested following the collision.
Authorities have not identified the person taken into custody, said which vehicle that person was driving or riding in, or disclosed the allegation that led to the arrest.
No additional arrest information had been released as of Sunday.
Because the reason for the arrest remains undisclosed, it is not known whether it was directly related to the cause of the collision or involved another circumstance discovered during the investigation.
The California Highway Patrol’s Antelope Valley Area is responsible for approximately 30 miles of State Route 14 between Acton and the Kern County line, along with about 1,400 miles of unincorporated roads across the Antelope Valley.
The Lancaster-area office is located on West Avenue I and handles freeway enforcement and collision investigations throughout the surrounding region.
Authorities have not released a preliminary cause of Saturday night’s crash.
They also have not detailed the sequence in which the three vehicles collided or said whether any of the vehicles changed lanes, stopped or lost control before impact.
No information has been released about the identities or ages of the two people who were hospitalized.
It is also unclear whether additional occupants were evaluated at the scene but did not require hospital treatment.
The crash caused a substantial emergency response along the freeway while first responders treated the injured and investigators examined the vehicles and roadway.
Authorities have not said how long lanes were affected.
State Route 14 is a major north-south route through northern Los Angeles County, connecting the Antelope Valley with the Santa Clarita area and Interstate 5.
Commercial trucks regularly use the corridor along with commuter and regional traffic.
The presence of a tractor-trailer can make a collision investigation and cleanup more complex because of the vehicle’s size, weight and the space needed to safely recover damaged equipment.
CHP maintains specialized Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Teams for particularly serious or technically complex crashes.
Those teams can reconstruct collisions and examine human, mechanical and environmental factors when requested.
CHP has not said that a MAIT team was assigned to the Lancaster collision.
The immediate investigation is being handled by authorities responsible for the State Route 14 corridor.
CHP also provides real-time traffic incident information for crashes, hazards and road closures across California.
Motorists can monitor State Route 14 conditions through Caltrans QuickMap, which displays CHP incidents, traffic speeds, lane closures and other roadway information.
People directly involved in California Highway Patrol-investigated collisions can later obtain reports through the agency’s online crash report system.
For Saturday’s incident, however, several significant questions remain unanswered.
CHP has not disclosed why the person was arrested, how the collision began or whether the arrest resulted in a formal criminal booking.
Authorities have also not announced whether citations were issued to anyone else involved.
The two hospitalized victims’ conditions remain unknown.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation Sunday.
