Driver Traveling at “Very High Rate of Speed” Before 4-Vehicle Crash

A driver was traveling at what investigators described as "freeway speeds" and ran a red light before a four-vehicle crash at a San Fernando Valley intersection that left six injured, including one person in critical condition.

The pileup crash happened at the intersection of Van Nuys Boulevard and Victory Boulevard just after midnight in Van Nuys, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

One of the cars overturned, leaving two females trapped inside. It took firefighters more than 30 minutes to free them from the vehicle. The driver of a Chevrolet Trailblazer, who is in her mid-20s, was in critical condition with life-threatening injuries.

The 19-year-old driver of a Volkswagen Passat, who is believed to have caused the crash after running a red light, was in  serious condition. He is believed to have been driving east on Victory Boulevard at freeway speeds and then collided with the Trailblazer, police said.

"There was a tremendous amount of damage consistent with what we see in freeway speeds," said LAPD detective Bill Bustos. "This is a 35-mph zone, and all we know right now indicates it was a very high rate of speed."

The driver, who remained hospitalized early Tuesday afternoon, will be arrested on suspicion of felony DUI, according to police. His male passenger, who is a minor, was also in serious condition.

The driver of a minivan and the driver of a Camry were also injured.

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