Multiple Accidents Snarl Traffic on Interstate 10 in Banning, Beaumont

A series of accidents on Interstate 10 in the Pass kept emergency crews busy Friday morning.

The first crash was reported on the eastbound lanes of the freeway, at Sunset Ave., at around 8:45 a.m.  CHP reports indicated that a truck had crashed at the off-ramp, initially blocking all lanes of traffic, and prompting a sig alert. 

Though eventually some of those lanes were reopened within an hour, it wasn't until after 10 a.m. that traffic was flowing again smoothly.  Before that, cars were backed up for several miles.

The second crash happened on I-10 westbound, just east of Highland Springs Ave., at around 10 a.m.  That crash had traffic backed up for about an hour, while crews worked to clear a red Toyota truck that had crashed into the center divider.

It wasn't immediately clear if the driver of that truck was injured, but Cal Fire tells Banning-Beaumont Patch the driver refused transport to a hospital.

The third crash happened just moments after the one at Highland Springs.  CHP reports indicated that a Honda Accord crashed into the center divider on the eastbound side of the freeway, also near Highland Springs Ave.  No injuries were reported in that crash.

Further details as to what led to the accidents weren't immediately available.