3 California Highway Patrol officers hurt in fiery wreck

DOWNEY, Calif. (AP) — Three California Highway Patrol officers investigating a Los Angeles-area freeway crash were injured early Thursday when a motorist smashed into a CHP patrol car and it burst into flames, authorities said.

The fiery wreck occurred around 1:30 a.m. on the eastbound side of Interstate 105 in Downey, southeast of downtown Los Angeles.

An officer who was standing outside the patrol car suffered major injuries while two officers in the cruiser had moderate injuries, CHP Officer Kevin Tao said.

Two officers remained hospitalized while one was released and all were expected to recover, authorities said.

Lakia Jackson, 41, was driving the SUV that hit the CHP vehicle. She was treated for minor injuries and arrested for investigation of driving under the influence, a CHP report said.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether she had an attorney to speak on her behalf.

The officers were on the freeway in response to a solo vehicle crash that occurred shortly after midnight, leaving that vehicle disabled.

About 90 minutes later, the SUV went through a flare pattern and struck the CHP cruiser, Tao said.

“Immediately upon impact the patrol car burst into flames,” he said.

The eastbound side of I-105 remained completely shut down in the area for hours as the CHP’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team worked the scene.