An 11-year-old girl was killed in a wrong-way crash involving a hit-and-run driver on the Pomona (60) Freeway in the Industry area before sunrise Wednesday.
The crash was reported around 4 a.m. on the westbound freeway near Crossroads Parkway, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Angelique Zarate was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the CHP, she was a passenger in a 2015 Toyota Corolla that was traveling westbound on the freeway.
“Unfortunately, life saving measures were unsuccessful, and the passenger was pronounced deceased on scene,” the CHP reported.
“Preliminary investigation suggests, the driver of (a) Hyundai Sonata was involved in a separate traffic collision on state Route 60 westbound, west of Crossroads Parkway,” the CHP reported. “As a result of this collision, the Hyundai spun out of control and faced the wrong way. The driver continued traveling eastbound — wrong-way — in the westbound lanes of state Route 60 at a high rate of speed.”
The Hyundai subsequently became involved in a second collision with multiple vehicles while traveling eastbound, east of Crossroads Parkway, the CHP said.
The driver fled the scene on foot prior to the arrival of CHP officers.
The driver of the Toyota, 50-year-old Rafael Zarate of Moreno Valley, suffered major injuries and was taken to a hospital, the CHP reported.
The driver of a big rig involved in the crash suffered a minor injury. No other injuries were reported. Westbound lanes of the freeway were closed while an investigation was conducted into the crash, but were later reopened.
The driver of the Hyundai was being sought. On social media Wednesday night, the CHP described the male suspect as fleeing the crash scene barefoot while wearing light-colored pants and a shirt. He was described as being in his mid 30s, with a fair complexion, medium-length hair parted to the side and as White or Latino.
Anyone with information on the suspect or the crash was urged to call the CHP Santa Fe Springs Area Office at 562-868-0503.
