Editor’s note: This story was updated Monday, Sept. 30 with the victim’s identity and more information from the CHP.
An elderly woman driving north on the 405 Freeway in Long Beach Sunday afternoon was killed after a tire from the southbound side of the freeway crossed the center divider and struck her windshield, authorities said.
Authorities identified the woman as Judith Yourman, 61, of Rancho Palos Verdes.
Long Beach Fire Capt. Jack Crabtree said the incident happened just after 1 p.m. Sunday just south of the 710 Freeway.
A Dodge Ram pickup truck was in the No. 4 lane of the southbound freeway when “for an undetermined reason (the) Dodge lost the rear left wheel/tire,” according to a CHP statement.
“The wheel/tire traveled … across all southbound lanes before colliding with the center median and getting ejected to the northbound lanes into oncoming traffic. The wheel/tire collided with the driver side compartment of Yourman’s BMW. This impact crushed the driver side compartment where Yourman was positioned, causing Yourman to suffer fatal injuries.”
Firefighters had to use Jaws of Life to remove the victims.
A man riding in the BMW was taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.
Gnarly wreck in #LongBeach on the 405 NORTH past Long Beach Blvd. Seems that ONLY the right lane is open? Crazy back up on the 405 NORTH. @TotalTrafficLA @KFIAM640 pic.twitter.com/IonBQh5xPh
— Nick Pagliochini (he/him/his) (@NickPagliochini) September 29, 2019