According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, 43-year-old Erika De La Riva was killed in the collision that happened at around 1:20 a.m. December 20, on the 210 Freeway near Lowell Avenue
Glendale, CA – Authorities have released the identity of a woman killed in a multi-vehicle collision in the Crescenta Highlands area of Glendale early Saturday morning.
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, 43-year-old Erika De La Riva was killed in the collision that happened at around 1:20 a.m. December 20, on the 210 Freeway near Lowell Avenue.
Authorities reported that several vehicles collided in the westbound lanes of the 210 Freeway and that a Nissan Pathfinder flipped onto its side. It’s unclear what caused the vehicles to collide.
The California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the incident.
De La Riva was riding in one of the vehicles and was pronounced dead at the scene. Medics transported one other person to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The incident caused a closure of all the westbound lanes of the freeway at Lowell Avenue for five hours.
No additional information on the accident was provided. The CHP is working to determine the cause of the crash.
Original Story
Glendale, CA – One person was killed in a multi-vehicle crash early Saturday morning in the Crescenta Highlands area of Glendale.
According to officials with the California Highway Patrol, the collision was reported at around 1:21 a.m. December 20, on the 210 Freeway near Lowell Avenue.
For unknown reasons, multiple vehicles collided on the westbound side of the 210 Freeway and the impact caused a Nissan Pathfinder to roll onto its side.
In addition to the CHP, the Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and attended to parties involved.
One person was pronounced dead at the scene while at least one other patient was transported in critical condition. The identity of the deceased party was not immediately released.
The westbound lanes of the freeway were expected to be shut down at Lowell Avenue for an unknown duration as authorities investigated the incident.
The exact cause of the collision is under investigation by the CHP.
Los Angeles County has historically experienced significant traffic safety challenges, although recent data indicates some improvements in its California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) rankings and a decrease in total victims killed and injured from peak years. The county consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous in the state for traffic collisions, leading in both population and accident volume. In 2022, there were 8,944 victims killed and injured in total fatal and injury collisions, which gave the county an OTS ranking of 14 out of 15 comparable entities, indicating improvement from previous years, where it ranked 1/15 (worst) in 2018 and 2019. Despite overall improvements in rankings, specific collision types remain a concern. In 2022, there were 1,524 pedestrian victims killed and injured, and 475 bicyclist victims killed and injured. Pedestrians, in particular, account for a disproportionately high number of traffic deaths in the region, a trend that has persisted in recent years. Alcohol-involved collisions also contributed significantly to the 2022 statistics, with 1,676 victims killed and injured.
Did You Lose Your Loved One in this Car Accident?
Losing your loved one in a traffic collision is a tragic event that leaves families devastated. The results of a fatal collision cannot be undone, but the law provides an opportunity to the victim’s family to mitigate the outcomes by seeking compensation. You can learn more about the legal options you have by visiting our Los Angeles car accident page.