One person is dead and others were injured in a collision that took place near the intersection of Torrey Pines Road and Prospect Street this week, leading to road closures on the busy thoroughfare.
At around 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 14, two vehicles collided, killing a passenger in one of the cars.
San Diego Police Sgt. Joseph Underwood told the La Jolla Light that a 56-year-old male was driving a Land Rover northbound around the 1500 block of Torrey Pines Road and began to make a U-turn mid-block. At the same time, a 68-year-old female driver was driving a Mitsubishi Mirage southbound in the right lane at that location.
The two vehicles collided and “the Mitsubishi impacted the front, right side of the Land Rover,” said Underwood, adding that the Mitsubishi’s passenger, a 69-year-old male, was pronounced deceased on scene. The Mitsubishi driver sustained two broken arms, two femur fractures, a fractured pelvis, and facial fractures. The Land Rover driver had a complaint of pain.
The identities of the decedent and the drivers have not yet been released.
Alcohol is not considered a factor at this time.
Monday’s crash is the third fatal and/or multi-vehicle accident to occur on Torrey Pines Road in less than a year.
The night of Jan. 29, one person was killed and multiple people were injured in a six-vehicle crash around Torrey Pines Road and Hidden Valley Road, near La Jolla Parkway.
The initial investigation indicated that a 2011 Toyota Tundra went through a red light and broadsided a 2015 Lexus CT200 SB that was heading through the intersection on a green light, Police Sgt. Saum Poorsaleh said at the time. After hitting the Lexus, the Tundra collided with two other vehicles, which then struck two more vehicles.
Less than one month later, a multi-vehicle crash took place near the intersection of Torrey Pines Road at La Jolla Shores Drive. Nearly a dozen people were evaluated for injury, but no one was killed.
According to witness reports posted to social media, four cars were rear-ended “at extremely high speed” by a fifth vehicle at around 12:30 p.m. while waiting at a red light. One of the vehicles that was hit was pushed onto the median and knocked over a steel traffic signal, the post said.
“One vehicle was severely damaged, and that prevented the occupant from exiting the vehicle. Fire crews had to extract that occupant from the vehicle,” said San Diego Police Department Lt. John White at the time. “At least 11 individuals were (then) evaluated for injuries from the collision, including children. Two adults were transported to the hospital and both thankfully only suffered minor injuries. The children who were involved did not suffer any injuries and did not go to the hospital.”
The cause of the collision and the events directly before it were not disclosed.