Incredible. It was, apparently, two accidents about a mile apart. No deaths but nine people critical. Attributed to fog. Nobody mentioned driving too close for weather conditions.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2002

Answers

200-Vehicle Pileup Shuts Down Freeway, Injures Dozens

Fog Cited As Possible Cause

UPDATED: 11:36 a.m. PST November 3, 2002 LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Nearly 200 cars and big-rig trucks collided on the fogbound Long Beach Freeway early Sunday, injuring dozens of people, nine critically, and closing the highway for hours.

"The fog was thick and all you saw on the horizon was the cars piled up in both directions," driver Rob Zeigler said. He said his car was pushed into the pile, but he wasn't seriously injured.

"You could hear all the crashing and the banging. You could feel your car moving, knowing that other cars are still hitting you," he said.

Some cars were buried under others, and some of the injured had to be cut from their vehicles.

Dozens of cars, vans and big-rig trucks could be seen tangled together and littering both sides of the freeway.

There were two separate accident sites on the freeway, located hundreds of yards apart.

CHP Officer Joseph Pace said there were 194 vehicles involved, including seven or eight big-rig trucks.

Forty-one people were injured, nine of them critically, he said. The most seriously injured were taken to local hospitals.

Early morning fog may have contributed to the pileups, which started just before 7 a.m., California Highway Patrol Officer Douglas Kondo said.

Driver Manny Manuelos said he had slowed as a big-rig truck smashed through the center divider but cars came up behind him at 25 to 35 mph.

"I see vehicles coming in back of me ... I'm just, like, sitting there and I go, 'oh, here it comes."'

Both sides of the 710 freeway have been closed down after the accident to help the injured, to move crash debris away and to investigate the accident.

Ramps from Interstate 405 leading to the 710 Long Beach Freeway also were closed to keep traffic away from the massive tangle of vehicles.

The big-rig involved in the crash was reported leaking fuel. A cleanup of the fuel was under way. Behind the big-rig the other damaged vehicles were still blocking the freeway in both directions.

The accident will take about eight or nine hours to clean up, according to the California Highway Patrol.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2002

I think they were student drivers trying to parallel park.

dare I say female? LOL

-- Anonymous, November 04, 2002

Barefoot, it's not female, it's macho men saying "I can get this big pick-up into that spot that says compact car only"

-- Anonymous, November 04, 2002

Not to mention all those guys who are lost because they won't look at a map or ask directions.

-- Anonymous, November 04, 2002

I's jes teasin' y'all.

-- Anonymous, November 04, 2002