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A woman was killed and at least five people, including four children, were hospitalized after a wrong-way crash between an SUV and a tractor-trailer on the Ventura (101) Freeway in Encino, authorities said.
The wreck occurred around 7:10 p.m. Thursday, the California Highway Patrol reported. The wrong-way driver, who attempted to flee deputies on foot following the crash, was among those hospitalized.
According to CHP, Cesar Iban Torres, 31, of Los Angeles was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of the 101 Freeway near the San Diego (405) Freeway, with the woman and the children, when he collided head-on with a 2016 Kenworth tractor-trailer.
The woman, whom the CHP said could have been in her 20s, died at the scene, and the children were taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center with minor injuries, said the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The ages of the children were not immediately known.
The truck driver, Jose Garcia Lopez, of San Diego, complained of head pain, but it was not immediately known if he went to a hospital, the CHP said.
After colliding with the big rig, Torres attempted to flee but was confronted by CHP officers, authorities said. Torres was arrested after he became combative and allegedly physically assaulted the officers.
Torres was also taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for treatment.
The crash shut down multiple lanes of the Ventura Freeway from 7:30 p.m. until 2:30 a.m.
Anyone with information about the collision was asked to contact CHP at 818- 888-0980.
