Advertisement

Mike Trout will be with Angels for series in Seattle after escaping harm in freeway crash

Although considered the best player in baseball, Angels center fielder Mike Trout isn't a shoo-in for the MVP award.
Although considered the best player in baseball, Angels center fielder Mike Trout isn’t a shoo-in for the MVP award.
(Duane Burleson / Associated Press)
Share

Neither alcohol nor drugs were a factor in a three-car traffic collision Wednesday night in Orange County involving Angels star Mike Trout, according to a California Highway Patrol spokesman.

Trout was not injured in the accident, his agent, Craig Landis, said.

The crash occurred at 8:48 p.m. on the southbound 55 Freeway near McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana, according to a CHP report. A 27-year-old Santa Ana woman suffered major injuries in the crash, according to the report, and was taken to the hospital. Her condition was not known, a CHP dispatcher said.

Angels General Manager Billy Eppler said he had a telephone conversation with Trout Wednesday night and that the center fielder would join the team for Thursday’s trip to Seattle to play the Mariners.

Advertisement

“He feels fine,” Eppler said in a statement issued late Wednesday night. “He is at home with his roommate and is planning on traveling with the club to Seattle.”

A team spokesman said the Angels were in touch with Trout on Thursday morning and reiterated that he would accompany the team to Seattle for a series that begins Friday night.

At the time of the accident, the southbound 55 was congested from a collision earlier in the evening, according to Capt. Larry Kurtz, a spokesman for the Orange County Fire Authority.

Trout swerved left to avoid stopped traffic when the right front of his Mercedes-Benz struck the left rear of a Chevrolet, according to a CHP report.

The impact pushed the Chevrolet forward and spun it around before it hit the rear of a GMC. The Chevrolet also struck a fence.

Trout drove to the right shoulder of the freeway after the collision and, according to the report, ran to check on the welfare of the Chevrolet’s driver. None of the three drivers were cited.

Advertisement

“The officers will determine who was at fault for the accident, and the insurance companies will take over from there,” said Tino Olivera, public information officer for the CHP Santa Ana office. “There are no criminal charges.”

Video obtained by KCBS-TV showed firefighters rescuing a woman trapped in the Chevrolet.

Trout was seen speaking with CHP officers and walking by his black Mercedes. The CHP’s incident log indicated that officers requested a tow truck for the Mercedes.

Trout, the 2014 American League most valuable player and runner-up for the award in 2012, 2013 and 2015, did not play in the Angels’ 3-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in Angel Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Staff writer Pedro Moura contributed to this report.

matt.hamilton@latimes.com; Twitter: @MattHjourno

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com; Twitter: @MikeDiGiovanna

Advertisement
Advertisement