A pickup truck driver collided with four vehicles on Interstate 10 in Calimesa Tuesday, injuring three people, one seriously, then fleeing eastbound on the freeway, prompting a search by the California Highway Patrol.
The hit-and-run collisions occurred at about 12:30 p.m. just west of the Sandalwood Drive exit ramp from I-10, according to the CHP.
The agency said the motorist, at the wheel of a red pickup, struck four vehicles at an unconfirmed speed, then accelerated away in the direction of Palm Springs.
The occupants of two sedans and a van were injured, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Two people suffered minor injuries, while the third had major injuries, officials said.
The parties, whose identities were not disclosed, were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Two freeway lanes were obstructed as a result of the hit-and-run, snarling eastbound traffic going through the San Gorgonio Pass.
No license plate information on the pickup was provided.