1 killed, at least 5 injured, including children, in wrong-way freeway crash in Encino

At least one person was killed and at least six injured Thursday evening in a wrong-way, multivehicle collision on the southbound 101 Freeway in Encino.

The crash was reported at 7:02 p.m. on the southbound 101 near Haskell Avenue, California Highway Patrol Officer Patrick Kimball said.

A white Lincoln Navigator was heading the wrong way either along the center divider or along the shoulder and crossed into the lanes of travel at some point, Kimball said.

The Los Angeles Fire Department reported at least six people were injured. The CHP reported a passenger in the SUV was pronounced dead at the scene.

Kimball confirmed the SUVs driver was an adult male and the passenger who died was an adult female.

The SUV driver was taken into custody by police, though the reason for the arrest was not immediately released.

Multiple children were inside the SUV and were taken to a hospital for treatment, Kimball said. An update on their conditions was not immediately available.

All except the first lane of the southbound 101 Freeway were blocked as the crash investigation stretched late into the nightt, according to the CHP. Onramps in the area were also closed as other drivers caught in the backup tried to go the wrong way to exit the freeway.

City News Service contributed to this report.