AZUSA — A young man died and six others were injured in a four-vehicle wreck in Azusa late Sunday, officials said.
The crash took place shortly after 8 p.m. at Baseline Road and Citrus Avenue.
Those injured were inside three of the vehicles, described as a compact car and two mid-size sedans, according to Battalion Chief Jim Enriquez.
“Our first arriving unit found three vehicles, with victims trapped in two,” he said.
The dead man, who appeared to be in his early 20s, was a passenger in the compact car, Enriquez said. The driver, a 20-year-old man, was flown by helicopter to a trauma center after being freed from the wreckage by firefighters.
There were beer bottles inside the young men’s car, and investigators were looking into the possibility of drunken driving, Azusa police Cpl. Randy Schmidt said.
A 45-year-old woman, a 46-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy inside one of the sedans involved in the crash were all hospitalized with apparently moderate injuries, Enriquez said.
But rescuers rushed the man — who had been riding in the back seat of the sedan — to a hospital by helicopter as a precaution to to the violent nature of the crash, he said. “It took us about 45 minutes to dismantle the vehicle to get to him.”
The second sedan involved in the crash contained a 45-year-old man and a 12-year-old boy, Enriquez said. Both suffered injuries believed to be minor.
The fourth car in the crash sustained minor damage, and no injuries to occupants were reported, according to police and fire officials.
Anyone with information can reach the Azusa Police Department at 626-812-3200.