Driver Killed in Fiery Crash on 170 Freeway

A sport-utility vehicle hit from behind by a car burst into flames on the Hollywood Freeway on Wednesday night, burning a motorist to death and snarling rush-hour traffic, officials said.

Five vehicles were involved in the accident, said California Highway Patrol Officer Richard Perez. He said the cause was under investigation.

All five vehicles were heading north on the freeway around 6 p.m. and had just passed the Roscoe Boulevard exit when the chain-reaction collision occurred, Perez said.

Two cars careened off the freeway and into plastic road barriers, said Brian Humphrey, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman. The sport-utility vehicle remained on the road but was enveloped in flames, and rescue teams could not save the driver.

Authorities said the victim’s burns were so severe they could not determine the gender of the motorist.

Two Canyon Country men, ages 19 and 47, were transported to Pacifica Hospital of the Valley in Sun Valley, where they were treated for minor injuries, Humphrey said. A fourth victim declined treatment at the scene.

Perez said the accident caused a 2-mile backup on the Hollywood Freeway near the junction with the Golden State Freeway. Northbound lanes were expected to be shut down until late Wednesday night.