Two men died Sunday morning after one driver entered the 405 Freeway heading the wrong direction in Costa Mesa, officials said.
The head-on collision occurred just after 4 a.m. when a silver Mustang entered the interstate heading southbound in the northbound lanes, according to California Highway Patrol Sgt. Todd Kovaletz. The car soon struck a black Expedition near MacArthur Boulevard and State Route 55, causing it to burst into flames, Kovaletz said.
The drivers of both vehicles, both male, were pronounced dead at the scene, Kovaletz said. There were no passengers in either vehicle, he added.
It is unclear exactly where the Mustang entered the freeway, but Kovaletz said judging by the short interval between initial calls placed to the CHP regarding a wrong-way driver and the time of the crash it was likely around Bristol Street or Harbor Boulevard.
Authorities have yet to determine whether drugs or alcohol played a role but Kovaletz said the issue would be investigated.
“In this area we don’t run into too many wrong-way drivers who are confused, so usually it’s alcohol-related,” he said. “However, it could be anything at this point in the game. We really don’t know yet.”
