Montecito Heights, Los Angeles, CA: A single vehicle with a solo occupant crashed through a guardrail of the 110 Freeway early Thursday morning, Feb. 16, and landed into the wash approximately two stories below.

The Los Angeles Fire Department and California Highway Patrol responded to reports of a physical rescue around 12:23 a.m. involving a vehicle over the side of the 110 freeway northbound at the Avenue 43 exit in the Montecito Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Prior to CHP’s arrival, a Los Angeles Police Department airship in the area was able to locate the vehicle in the wash below Avenue 43.

When CHP officers arrived, they found the self-extricated driver of the vehicle after an unidentified person on foot located the driver walking away from the scene of the crash and brought him back. Officers also found the vehicle, a white SUV, severely damaged on its side in the wash.

A portion of the concrete bridge wall above the wash was missing, but it appeared to be from previous collisions, with a metal guardrail in place to prevent vehicles from driving through the open space. Sections of metal guardrail were observed below in the wash by the vehicle.

LAFD requested additional resources to the location expecting to use a ladder truck with a litter basket to lift the driver from the wash. However, firefighters were able to find a way to drive a rescue ambulance into the river/wash to assist the patient, who was observed being examined by paramedics before loaded onto a gurney and wheeled over wash debris to the waiting ambulance.

The victim was transported to a local area hospital conscious and breathing.

It is unknown at this time if alcohol was a factor in the crash. CHP Central will be handling the investigation.

Zak Holman, Video Journalist / KNN

© 2023 Key News Network