A 4-year-old girl died following a chain-reaction collision after the driver of the vehicle she was in stopped to aid a motorist involved in a separate crash in the Cajon Pass, the California Highway Patrol said Wednesday.
The incident began shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday when a 2014 Hyundai sedan was involved in a solo-vehicle crash on the southbound 15 Freeway north of State Route 138, according to a CHP news release.
A good Samaritan who was driving a Ford Explorer saw the wreck and stopped his SUV within the No. 1 lane ahead of the Hyundai to help the other driver, officials said. He then got back into the Explorer.
While that was happening, a 2016 Kia sedan approached the crash site at an unknown speed and struck the Hyundai, which slammed into the Ford ahead of it, according to CHP.
The 4-year-old was a passenger in the Explorer, and the force of the impact left her with serious injuries. She was transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center where she died several hours later.
CHP has not identified the child.
The crash remains under investigation, but authorities do not believe that alcohol or drugs were a factor.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Officer R. DeGuzman at CHP’s San Bernardino office by calling 909-383-4247.