Three people died and others were seriously injured Sunday in a car crash in Southern California, according to authorities.
The collision occurred on Interstate 10 in Whitewater in Riverside County shortly before 7:30 a.m. local time, with two vehicles sustaining “major damage,” firefighters said.
Three people were pronounced dead at the scene, while two patients with major injuries were flown to a trauma center, the Riverside County Fire Department stated.
Three others were hospitalized with moderate injuries, and two people were assessed and declined further care.
Authorities have not said what caused the collision, nor have they provided updates on the injured patients. None of the victims have been identified.
The crash caused closures to three lanes, with fire officials reporting “significant back-up” following the incident.
Whitewater is about 11 miles northwest of Palm Springs, Calif., and about 100 miles west of Los Angeles.
Later Sunday, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office announced a deputy who was injured in an on-duty crash last Friday had died. Deputy Brett Harris suffered “major injuries,” including a catastrophic brain injury, in that incident, authorities said.
“It was Deputy Harris’s wish to donate his organs so that others may live,” the sheriff’s office said in its announcement Sunday. “The Harris family is currently working with the hospital to ensure his wishes are honored.”