911 call came four minutes before deadly wrong-way 60 Freeway crash

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Steve Taggart of the California Highway Patrol takes measurements at the wreckage of a car crash on the westbound 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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A worker removes debris from the wreckage of a car crash on the westbound 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar on Sunday. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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A CHP officer photographs evidence at the wreckage of a car crash on the westbound 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar on Sunday. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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A CHP officer examines the wreckage of a car crash on the westbound 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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A worker removes debris from the wreckage of a car crash on the westbound 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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A CHP officer next to the wreckage of a car crash on the westbound 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

By Ari Bloomekatz

Feb. 14, 2014 12:42 PM PT

Roughly four minutes before a woman who was driving the wrong way on the 60 Freeway allegedly barreled head-on into another vehicle in Diamond Bar, the first call came in to authorities reporting the driver’s erratic behavior. Six people were killed in the crash.

A spokesman for the California Highway Patrol said that at least 17 people reported a woman driving the wrong way on the 57 and 60 Freeways early Sunday .

The first call came in at 4:40 a.m., CHP Officer Rodrigo Jimenez said. The crash occurred just four minutes later. Then the other calls began coming in.

“They were describing the vehicle, saying it was going the wrong way at a high rate of speed,” Jimenez said earlier this week. “But we’re still asking for witnesses to call us.”

Authorities said Olivia Carolee Culbreath, 21, was behind the wheel and that witnesses described her Chevrolet Camaro driving faster than 100 mph.

On Thursday, she was charged with six counts of murder for allegedly causing the three-car crash by smashing into a Ford Explorer.

While authorities said there was evidence that Culbreath may have been driving under the influence, there have not been any related charges filed.

“The case is still under investigation,” said Sarah Ardalani of the district attorney’s office.

Culbreath and Joel Cortez, the driver of a third vehicle involved in the crash, were the only survivors. Four family members in the Explorer, who all died, were identified as Gregorio Mejia-Martinez, 47; Leticia Ibarra, 42; Jessica Jasmine Mejia, 20; and Ester Delgado, 80.

Culbreath’s passengers -- her sister Maya, 24; and a friend, Kristin Melissa Young, 21 -- were also killed.

At 17, Culbreath was convicted of drunk driving in San Bernardino County, Department of Motor Vehicles officials said. State records also show she was cited for traffic violations at least two other times.

ari.bloomekatz@latimes.com
Twitter: @aribloomekatz | Facebook

Times staff writers Joseph Serna and Matt Stevens contributed to this report.