PINE VALLEY --- An 11-year-old girl was killed and four others hurt Sunday night in a fiery crash on Interstate 8 in the Pine Valley area in east San Diego County, authorities said.
The three-vehicle crash was reported on the westbound freeway just east of the Campo Border Patrol Checkpoint at about 9 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. Three vehicles crashed and one caught fire.
According to CHP, a 2013 Toyota Camry was traveling about 70 miles per hour on westbound I-8 and it failed to notice the traffic stopped at the checkpoint. It rear-ended a 2001 Lexus, which was pushed into a 2005 Honda Pilot.
The Lexus caught fire, and an 11-year-old girl in the backseat who was trapped inside died.
The driver of the Lexus, an 18-year-old woman, was transported to UCSD Medical Center in San Diego with moderate injuries. The driver of the Camry, a 29-year-old woman, was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego with major injuries.
Two children in the Camry were taken to Rady Children’s Hospital with major injuries, CHP reported.
The five people in the Honda were not hurt.
The westbound side of the freeway was closed at Buckman Springs Road for several hours, and traffic was diverted onto Old Highway 80, the CHP said.
The driver of the Toyota is expected to face manslaughter charges.
Drugs and alcohol were not believed to be factors in the crash, which remains under investigation.
