3 people killed in crash involving wrong-way driver on westbound 91 Freeway in Riverside

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) — Three people were killed in a crash involving a wrong-way driver on Highway 91 in Riverside, forcing the closure of westbound lanes and disrupting the morning commute Thursday.

The incident happened around 2 a.m. near 14th Street, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The agency said a driver of a silver Kia Sportage SUV was heading east in the westbound lanes just before the crash. A black BMW, a large white vehicle and a Volkswagen Jetta were among the vehicles involved in the pileup.

A witness reported seeing a driver accelerate and swerve lanes while going the wrong direction on the highway before the collision.

Officers arrived and found a man and woman unconscious inside the Sportage. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

A woman in the Jetta was also killed. The deceased were not immediately identified.

A fourth person was taken to hospital in unknown condition.

Drivers passing through the area on their morning commute were strained, with the entire west side of the highway closed until about 8:30 a.m. At one point, traffic was backed up for more than a mile.

The incident remains under investigation.