Woman Burns to Death After Freeway Collision in Glendale

Apickup truck hit the rear of a car on the Ventura Freeway in Glendale Wednesday, setting the car afire and killing its driver, authorities said.

The driver, a young woman alone in the car, was burned beyond recognition in the 6 p.m. accident in westbound lanes of the freeway west of San Fernando Road, California Highway Patrol Officer Bob Weaver said. Authorities were unable to determine her name or age Wednesday night.

The driver of the pickup, a 17-year-old youth whose name was not available, was treated for minor injuries at Glendale Adventist Medical Center and released, nursing supervisor Lorraine Soucie said.

The cause of the accident was being investigated, Weaver said. Authorities were looking for the driver of a red Volkswagen who also may have been involved in the crash but drove off, Weaver said.

Authorities closed three lanes of the freeway, causing a massive traffic tie-up. A traffic advisory was in effect for the area until at least 8 p.m., Weaver said.

Officials sent a second ambulance to the accident scene after a taxi driver delayed by the traffic told authorities his passenger, a woman eight months pregnant, was going into labor, Weaver said. But paramedics determined the woman was not going into labor, and it appeared the the driver made up the story so authorities would allow him to bypass traffic, Glendale fire dispatcher Lori Fitch said.

It was not known whether the taxi driver was arrested or cited, Weaver said.