I-15 Collision Begins Holiday; 4 Killed, 9 Hurt

The start of the Memorial Day weekend was marred by several deadly highway crashes, including a head-on collision on Interstate 15 in Victorville that claimed four lives, authorities said Saturday.

The Friday evening crash also injured nine people, including four children and a pregnant woman, the California Highway Patrol said. The stretch of I-15 in San Bernardino County is heavily used by travelers between Las Vegas and Southern California.

The accident took place about 7:30 p.m. when a Chevrolet Blazer traveling southbound crossed the median and struck an oncoming Chrysler minivan, the CHP said. The identities of the victims were not immediately available Saturday.

Another man died Saturday in an accident about 9:40 a.m. on the San Diego Freeway near Los Angeles International Airport, authorities said.

The crash occurred in the northbound lanes of the freeway near Manchester Boulevard in Inglewood, according to the CHP. A motorcycle and three cars were involved in the accident, which closed traffic on the northbound lanes for more than two hours.

And in Kern County on Saturday, a four-car collision on northbound Interstate 5 near Lebec backed up traffic for about five miles. A Los Angeles woman involved in that accident was hospitalized with minor injuries after her car overturned, authorities said.

During the first 12 hours of the long holiday weekend, 110 Los Angeles County drivers were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, about the same number arrested during the first 12 hours of the Memorial Day weekend last year, the CHP said.