CHP: Both drivers drunk in head-on crash that injures 3

Both drivers in a wrong-way collision were drunk when they crashed head-on into each other on the San Joaquin Hills (73) toll road in Newport Beach over the weekend, authorities said.

The crash occurred around 2:20 a.m. Saturday when a Toyota Camry was traveling the wrong way on the southbound side near a toll plaza, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Florentino Olivera.

The Camry slammed into a Honda Civic in the No. 1 lane, Olivera said.

A male passenger was ejected from one of the cars, Newport Beach Fire Department spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella said.

The woman driving the Camry and the man driving the Civic were trapped in their vehicles, according to authorities.

Firefighters used the Jaws of Life to free them from the wreckage, and all three occupants were taken to trauma centers, Manzella said. She said all are expected to survive, though both drivers suffered severe injuries.

Olivera said the drivers will be arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

It’s unclear how fast the cars were traveling, Olivera said.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck