Two people died after six cars were involved in multiple crashes early Saturday on the 605 Freeway in Cerritos, prompting both sides of the freeway to close for several hours.
The crashes happened in southbound lanes of the freeway just after 1 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.
The two people who died were on the freeway outside of their cars when they were struck by traffic, CHP said. One person was found on the northbound side of the freeway and died at the scene, and the other died at the hospital. Officials said they were not sure whether or not one of the people had been ejected from a car.
Three other people were taken to the hospital, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
All lanes of both the northbound and southbound sides of the freeway were shut down for several hours. CHP reopened northbound lanes of the freeway around 7:30 a.m. Southbound lanes were reopened just after 9:30 a.m., according to CHP.
All traffic was diverted to the 91 Freeway.
Sgt. Raquel Scage of the California Highway Patrol stressed that people are safer if they stay inside their cars after a crash.
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"If there's an accident, we recommend that you remain in your vehicle with your seat belt on, if your car is drivable please get it to the right shoulder," Scage said. "You're safer inside your vehicle most of the time than outside your vehicle."
CHP said they believed speed may have been a factor, and were investigating whether or not alcohol was also a factor in the crashes.
