Three injured in wrong-way crash on 73 Freeway in Newport Beach

Three people suffered major injuries after a wrong-way driver caused a violent crash on the 73 Freeway in Newport Beach, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Authorities said the incident began around 8:05 p.m. when CHP received reports of a vehicle traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of State Route 73 near Greenfield Drive in Laguna Niguel. Witnesses initially reported the vehicle traveling at approximately 45 mph, but subsequent calls indicated the driver reached speeds of nearly 100 mph while continuing in the wrong direction.  

Just minutes later, the wrong-way vehicle collided with another car south of Bonita Canyon Drive. The impact was so severe that both vehicles sustained catastrophic damage, with reports indicating one vehicle was split apart by the force of the crash. Three people were transported to area hospitals with major injuries.  

Investigators said the vehicle being driven the wrong way was registered to a missing person from Cypress. As of the initial investigation, CHP had not confirmed whether any arrests had been made or whether impairment, a medical emergency, or another factor contributed to the collision.  

The crash shut down portions of the freeway for several hours as emergency crews treated victims and investigators examined the scene. Authorities continue to investigate how the driver entered the freeway traveling in the wrong direction and what circumstances led to the collision.  

The crash occurred Friday evening on the southbound 73 Freeway near Bonita Canyon Drive in Newport Beach.

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