CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER, 3 OTHERS INJURED IN 60 FREEWAY CRASH

A fiery multi-vehicle crash involving a California Highway Patrol car left the officer and three other people injured Monday and forced the closure of a stretch of the Pomona (60) Freeway in Pomona. Paramedics were sent to the eastbound 60, west of the Chino Valley (71) Freeway, about 11:50am.

Officer John Tapia, whose patrol car caught fire after being rear-ended by an SUV, was taken to County-USC Medical Center with major, but non-life-threatening injuries, according to CHP Officer Joe Zizi. Three other people, including two children, suffered what were described as minor injuries.

Tapia, a 15-year veteran who works out of the CHP's Baldwin Park office, was trailing a Caltrans convoy cleaning the center divider at 5 mph -- with his cruiser's overhead emergency lights activated -- at the time of the crash, Zizi said.

A Ford Expedition driven by Maraya Sanchez, 31, of Anaheim, hit the CHP vehicle at an estimated 70 mph, Zizi said. The SUV ended up on its side, and Sanchez and her 8- and a 12-year-old passengers were taken to Pomona Valley Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.

Another motorist struck the cruiser after it was hit by the SUV, but that driver was uninjured. The officer managed to get out of his vehicle and was helped by passersby. He was airlifted to County-USC Medical Center. The freeway was closed in both directions in the area while an investigation was conducted. The westbound lanes were reopened about 12:45 p.m., and the eastbound lanes reopened just after 4 p.m. Until then, traffic was diverted onto the northbound Orange (57) Freeway.