Wrong-way or head-on collisions are some of the most dangerous collisions that occur. Despite their making up for a small percentage of overall collisions, they account for a high number of fatalities and serious injuries. Most of the time, there are only a few things that can cause a wrong-way collision. One of the most frequent causes is driving while intoxicated. According to a meta-analysis conducted by the NTSB, at least half and as many as three-quarters of wrong-way collisions are caused by an intoxicated driver. In cases where the blood-alcohol level of a wrong-way driver was available, the majority of drivers were found to have a BAC of at least 0.15%, nearly double the legal limit.
KTLA reports that on Sunday, LA-area law enforcement officers responded to at least two wrong-way collisions thought to have been caused by intoxication.
One crash occurred on the 405 Freeway near the Getty Center, and the other occurred on the 210 Freeway in Monrovia. Both the fire department and the California Highway Patrol confirmed that the crashes were fatal.
Early Sunday morning, a driver who was allegedly intoxicated was driving the wrong way on the northbound 405 Freeway. The driver identified as 42-year-old Marco Albrego was traveling south in the northbound lanes of the highway. His 2010 Toyota Tacoma truck slammed head-on into a 2000 Jaguar S-Type. The Jaguar spun, hitting a 2010 Toyota Corolla.
The driver of the Jaguar was pronounced dead at the scene. Abrego was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
Just two hours later, a woman who was not identified was driving west in the eastbound lanes of the 210 Freeway. She hit a 2017 Toyota Tacoma head-on with her 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The driver of the Chevrolet was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Toyota had major injuries which included a broken pelvis and broken legs.
The cause of the second crash is still under investigation. It is unknown if intoxication played a part in the accident.
