Fatal I-10 Crash Involving Semi Vs. Cement Truck Snarls Tuesday Traffic Until Afternoon

PALM DESERT, CA — One person has died after a semi-truck collided with a cement truck on the I-10 Sonny Bono Freeway on Tuesday morning. As many as six people were injured in the crash, which halted both east and westbound I-10 just west of the Washington Street onramp and incited a four-hour SIG Alert, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Just after 7:45 a.m., an eastbound big rig careened through the center divider on I-10 just west of Washington Street and ended up in the westbound lanes for as of yet undetermined reasons, according to the CHP Officer David Torres. It collided with a cement truck, killing that vehicle's driver as a result of the crash.

"Medics and firefighters were at the scene, assessing and treating six patients, with one confirmed fatality," Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department spokesperson Tawny Castro said.

"The driver of the semi-truck was transported to Desert Regional Hospital for unknown injuries," Torrest told Patch.

Only one lane in the westbound and one lane in the eastbound direction of I-10 were open, following a crash that involved the big rig, a cement truck, a jeep and other unidentified vehicles. Both east- and westbound lanes were involved, leading to the closure of the Washington Street on-ramp.

The road closure could last until after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to the CHP dispatch operators.