Police: 5 dead in freeway crash north of Los Angeles

Police: 5 dead in Calif. freeway crash

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Authorities say five people are dead in a multiple-vehicle crash on Interstate-5 several miles north of Los Angeles.

California Highway Patrol officer Anthony Martin says the crash occurred during a rain storm early Monday just south of Santa Clarita and near the junction with State Road 14.

He says details are still sketchy but police responded to an initial report at 12:15 a.m. PDT of an overturned pickup truck with its occupants trapped inside.

Los Angeles firefighters worked to free some of the victims who were trapped in the wreckage of as many as four vehicles on the rain-slicked highway.

Martin says officers at the scene, about 25 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, confirmed that there were five fatalities.

He says reports from the scene were still trickling in and hasn’t heard yet about possible injuries.

Authorities say all southbound I-5 lanes were closed were expected to remain shut down at least until 4 a.m.