Several people injured in head-on crash on St. Patrick’s Day in Escondido
UPDATE: Video shows car driving wrong way before head-on crash
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Several people were taken to the hospital after a head-on crash in Escondido Sunday afternoon, authorities report.
The Escondido Fire Department and California Highway Patrol (CHP) responded to the crash around 2:30 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day on San Pasqual Valley Road near E. 17th Ave.
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When crews arrived on the scene they found eight people suffering from injuries; five people were taken to the hospital, including two minors, the Escondido Fire Department reports.
Two people were severely injured in the crash, one of them a minor child, Escondido Fire confirmed to FOX 5.
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“We just heard the screech and the loud bang and then we saw the smoke,” one neighbor said, referring to one of the vehicles involved that caught fire after the crash.
Both vehicles involved in the crash, a SUV and white sedan, had heavy front end damage.
“That family had three little kids in the car, a baby and two younger girls,” one nearby resident said. “It was a whole family, I don’t know where they were going, but there were little, little kids.”
According to the CHP traffic log, one of the vehicles caught fire.
Some neighbors said they have seen several crashes on the road. “It’s not a rare occurrence around here. I think the road is dangerous,” an anonymous neighbor said. “It’s been better since they put the stoplight in, but there are still some pretty bad accidents.”
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The cause of the crash is under investigation. However, a half-empty bottle of Jameson could be seen on the roof of one of the vehicles involved in the crash (pictured above).
The road was blocked off for several hours as authorities investigated before clearing the scene. All lanes have since reopened.
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California Highway Patrol is handling the investigation. CHP and Escondido Police, along with other local law enforcement agencies, increased patrols for St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
This story is developing. FOX 5 & KUSI has a crew on the scene and will continue to bring you more information as this develops.
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