ONTARIO, CA, (Pain In The Pass) >> A female driver was killed early Thursday morning in a multi-vehicle crash involving a semi tractor-trailer hit a beam on Interstate 10 Ontario that forced a full freeway closure for several hours.
The incident happened about 3:18am on January 15, 2026, on westbound on I-10 freeway at the I-15 overpass bridge.
A preliminary investigation indicated that a Kenworth tractor pulling a flatbed trailer combination carrying a large excavator, traveling westbound in the #3 lane, crashed into the 15 Freeway overpass at the scene, according to the California Highway Patrol.
This caused a metal beam to fall from the overpass onto a vehicle, a Toyota Camry, also traveling westbound on 10 Freeway in the #1 lane, the CHP said in a press release. A third vehicle, a Honda Accord also traveling westbound on 10 in the #2 lane, subsequently hit the fallen beam.
They were all transferred to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center by ground ambulance with major injuries.
Sadly, one person was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
The steel beam was associated with the support structure for the 15 Freeway Express Lanes and Freight Corridor project above the 10 Freeway.
The semi driver stayed at the scene throughout the investigation, according to CHP. Investigators said alcohol or drug impairment is not suspected to be a factor in this collision.
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