3 Killed in New Year’s Holiday Traffic Accidents in L.A. County

Three people died in Los Angeles County car accidents from 6 p.m. New Year’s Eve to 6 a.m. New Year’s Day, the same number killed during that period last year, authorities said.

Alcohol was cited as a contributing factor in at least one of the deaths.

A 44-year-old Claremont woman was arrested and booked on suspicion of felony driving under the influence after hitting a stalled car in the fast lane of the eastbound Century Freeway near the Harbor Freeway, California Highway Patrol Officer Francisco Villalobos said. The other driver was killed in the 1:15 a.m. crash, he said.

The victim, a 48-year-old Bellflower woman, had pulled over because of a flat tire when her car was struck from behind, causing it to flip over, Villalobos said. The woman, who was ejected, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name is being withheld by the county coroner’s office until her family is notified.

The Claremont woman could face additional charges pending an investigation into the crash, authorities said.

On the Santa Monica Freeway in downtown Los Angeles, a woman died after her car ricocheted off a protective barrier, struck a guardrail and burst into flames. The woman was traveling west near Grand Avenue about 4:30 a.m. when she lost control, authorities said. The CHP has been unable to determine her identity.

About 11:40 p.m., a vehicle struck and killed a 33-year-old Los Angeles man standing on the same freeway near 17th Street in Santa Monica, CHP officials said. Authorities don’t know why he was on the freeway.

CHP Officer Ron Burch said there were eight traffic deaths statewide, including those in L.A. County, during the 12-hour period, down from 14 last year.