One Dead, Two In Critical Condition After 405 Crash Thursday

IRVINE, CA — Southbound traffic on the California State route 405 in Irvine was stalled for miles Thursday afternoon, after a car crash killed one and sent two others to the hospital as trauma patients, the Orange County Fire Authority reported.

The victim died shortly after their car caught fire. Orange County firefighters worked steadily to extinguish the flames Thursday afternoon after at least two lanes were shut down on the freeway.

The identity of the deceased person is not yet known, nor is the status of the injured people.

The collision happened Thursday afternoon near Irvine Center Drive. The incident occurred when a driver apparently lost control of a car in the southbound lanes of the freeway, before veering toward the center median and being broadsided by a car at Irvine Center Drive, California Highway Patrol Officer Tino Olivera told City News Service.

The driver who lost control may have been hydroplaning on the slick pavement and could have been going too fast for the rainy weather conditions, Olivera said. The driver was then trapped in the vehicle, which caught fire, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

``People need to slow down,'' Olivera said of the rainy driving conditions, explaining that when the roads are wet, motorists must go slower than the maximum speed limit. ``Give yourself more time and distance and check the tires, make sure they're all good.''

The incident resulted in a SigAlert being issued at around 1:45 p.m. The SigAlert continued on through the afternoon before being lifted sometime after 4 p.m.

City News Service contributed to this report.