A woman killed in a multi-vehicle wreck on Interstate 15 that injured three others in Lake Elsinore was identified Wednesday as a 37-year-old San Diego resident.
Emily Rew was fatally injured just before 4 p.m. Tuesday on northbound I-15 at Main Street, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The agency said four or five vehicles impacted at the location, though the exact circumstances remained under investigation Wednesday.
Riverside County Fire Department crews reached the scene 15 minutes after the collision and discovered Rew gravely injured. She was pronounced dead after she was extricated from the wreckage.
Another party suffered moderate injuries, and two others had minor injuries, according to the fire department.
Two of the patients, whose identities were not disclosed, were taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar for treatment. The other victim with minor injuries declined to be transported after receiving treatment at the scene, officials said.
Vehicle parts were strewn across all northbound lanes, which prompted a full closure of the northbound side of the interstate for nearly three hours.
CHP officers received assistance from sheriff’s deputies and Murrieta police officers to enforce the closure, leaving only the right shoulder available for motorists to use for exiting the freeway.
A miles-long traffic jam lasted until the closure was lifted after 7 p.m. Tuesday.