Fatal big rig crash in West Covina snarls eastbound 10 Freeway, but most lanes reopen

A fatal big rig crash caused a major traffic backup early Thursday along the 10 Freeway in West Covina.

California Highway Patrol received reports that a big rig had crashed shortly before 3 a.m. On the scene, officials learned that a Honda Civic had stopped on the freeway and the driver of a big rig behind it stopped to avoid hitting the car, said CHP officer Rodrigo Jimenez, a spokesman for the agency’s Baldwin Park station.

A second big rig behind them also stopped, but a third big rig with double trailers failed to stop and caused the other vehicles to crash into each other.

One person — the driver of the first big rig that stopped — was killed in the crash, Jimenez said. The driver of the last big rig that failed to stop suffered a laceration on his forehead and was taken to a hospital.

All eastbound lanes between Citrus and Barranca streets were closed for several hours. By 11:30 a.m., all but the far right lane had reopened.

A video and photographs of the scene show at least one big rig with severe damage to its front side and another big rig that appears badly damaged. Eastbound traffic was being directed off the freeway before Barranca Street.