3 Killed in Accident on PCH
Three people died Friday afternoon when their Volkswagen van flipped on Pacific Coast Highway just north of the McClure Tunnel in Santa Monica, shutting down the highway most of the afternoon and backing up traffic for miles along the westbound Santa Monica Freeway.
The driver of the van, described as a man in his late 40s, and two women passengers were ejected and killed instantly, Santa Monica Police Sgt. Gary Gallinot said.
The names of the victims were not released pending notification of their families. The two women were each 40 years old and were apparently visiting from out of town. One was from Connecticut and the other from Maine. The driver’s hometown was unknown.
Witnesses said that about 1 p.m. the van was heading northbound at a fast rate of speed when it apparently brushed against a Mercedes-Benz in an adjacent northbound lane. The van flipped over on its side and slid into the path of an oncoming Volvo. The Volvo crashed into the roof of the van, propelling the van upward and over the top of the Volvo.
The passengers in the Volvo were taken to UCLA Medical Center, Gallinot said. The passengers in the Mercedes were uninjured.
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