1 dead and 2 injured after I-80 crash in Sacramento left 3 vehicles in flames, CHP says

A driver who didn’t see traffic ahead of him on Interstate 80 in Sacramento collided into a vehicle Monday, leading three vehicles to catch fire and killing one person in the flames as firefighters rushed another two people to a hospital, authorities said.

A pickup driver headed east on Interstate 80, east of Interstate 5, about 4:30 p.m. failed to observe cars stopped ahead of him and slammed into a Toyota Tacoma, said Officer Justin Fetterly, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol’s North Sacramento office.

The collision caused a chain reaction in which flames engulfed three vehicles, Fetterly said.

Two people suffered “moderate” injuries and were rushed to a hospital, said Capt. Justin Sylvia, a spokesman for the Sacramento Fire Department, who noted five total vehicles were involved in the incident.

The driver of a Toyota Tacoma died at the scene, Fetterly said. The person has not been identified, and the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office is expected to release the victim’s name.

The pickup driver suffered “minor” injuries, Fetterly said. Investigators do not suspect DUI as a factor causing the crash.

The CHP closed three lanes eastbound on Interstate 80 as they canvassed the scene. There was no estimated time of reopening though traffic flowed on the two open lanes.