Deadly Ortega Highway Crash Prompts Temporary Closure, CHP Says

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — The California Highway Patrol closed the Ortega (74) Highway between San Juan Capistrano and Lake Elsinore on Thursday to conduct a wreckage recovery operation related to a fatal crash on the Orange County side of the highway.

The CHP said that the closure was scheduled for noon and was likely to last between two and four hours. The entire highway was closed between Antonio Parkway on the Orange County side of the highway to Grand Avenue in Riverside County, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Chaz Tyler.

The crash happened Wednesday afternoon, but crews couldn't get to the wreckage recovery until Thursday.

The California Highway Patrol's incident log stated that a Prius may have crossed into the path of an oncoming truck, though the crash remains under investigation. Both vehicles went over the side of the highway at just before 4:45 p.m. Wednesday about 5 miles east of Interstate 5, authorities said.

"The Prius driver was pronounced dead at the scene after being cut out of the wreckage," according to Capt. Larry Kurtz of the Orange County Fire Authority.

The driver was identified by the Orange County coroner's office as 69-year-old Lake Forest resident, Mike Madigan.

This is a breaking news story. Refresh for the latest. / Image credit: Orange County Fire Authority

— Patch Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.