Five people were hospitalized after a driver crashed into six cars on Tuesday morning in Chula Vista just before 11 a-m.
The 21-year-old driver of a white BMW SUV was driving eastbound on East H street near Paseo del Rey when the SUV swerved around cars stopped at a red light and went into oncoming traffic -- crashing into six cars, according to police. The SUV flipped over and caught on fire.
The BMW's driver and a 55-year-old woman were both trapped in their crumpled vehicles and had to be rescued, police said.
A Chula Vista police officer who helped put the fire out was also nearly hit by the BMW driver. Investigators said the driver of the BMW and a female passenger suffered major injuries.
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Some of the patients' injuries -- including internal trauma and broken
bones -- were serious, but none appeared to be life-threatening, according to
police.
The accident forced closures of traffic lanes in the area until shortly before 3 p.m., according to Lt. Gino Grippo of the Chula Vista Police Department.
