Broken Axle Causes Fatal Crash on I-5

One person was killed and another injured in a big-rig accident Thursday afternoon on the Santa Ana Freeway in Irvine, according to police.

Investigators said the crash happened shortly after noon near Culver Drive when a big-rig truck traveling north broke an axle.

The vehicle’s back tires bounced into the southbound lanes and struck several vehicles, forcing them to stop in heavy traffic.

California Highway Patrol officials said a southbound big-rig driver, Kirk Daren Edwards, 34, of Costa Mesa, swerved sharply to avoid hitting a truck in front of him.

The right front of his cab struck the left rear of the other big rig.

Joshua Allan, 25, of La Verne, a passenger in Edwards’ truck, was crushed to death in the collision, investigators said.

Edwards received minor injuries.

At least one car was struck by the broken axle, but no other injuries were reported.

A SigAlert was issued at 12:13 p.m. as the accident forced closure of all but one of the southbound lanes.

For more than three hours, traffic was backed up as far as Red Hill Avenue in Tustin, CHP officials said.

The delay would have been worse if the accident had happened during rush hour, CHP officer Mark Reeves said.

Officials are investigating what might have caused the axle to break on the northbound truck.