Woman Ejected Through Sunroof In Lake Elsinore I-15 Crash

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A multi-vehicle, major injury crash Friday on northbound I-15 in Lake Elsinore prompted a SigAlert that forced the freeway's closure for more than an hour.

The crash was reported around 11 a.m. near the Railroad Canyon Road/Diamond Drive exit in Lake Elsinore. According to CHP Officer Mike Lassig, a 2017 Subaru driven by a 45-year-old Lake Elsinore woman was speeding on the freeway shoulder and made an unsafe turn into the rear of a 1999 Mercedes CLK 320 driven by a 79-year-old Lake Elsinore woman.

Both drivers lost control of their vehicles and rolled up an embankment. The Mercedes landed right-side up and smashed into a freeway sign pole. The Mercedes driver, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered major injuries and was transported to Inland Valley Medical Center by ground ambulance, Lassig said.

The Subaru driver, who was not wearing her seat belt, was ejected through her sunroof. Her vehicle came to rest right-side up on part of her body in the #1 and #2 freeway lanes, Lassig said. She was also transported by ground ambulance to Inland Valley Medical Center with major injuries.

Lassig said the Subaru driver was lucky to be alive given that she was not wearing a seat belt.

"She is very fortunate that her injuries weren't fatal," he said.

The freeway was reopened at approximately 12:10 p.m., but traffic remained slow in the area. At one point is was backed up to the I-215 split in Murrieta.

No other injuries were reported and there were no arrests.

A separate crash was reported approximately two hours earlier on northbound I-15 in Wildomar.