A father was arrested on suspicion of DUI following a crash on the 118 Freeway in Porter Ranch that left his three children injured and killed their mother late Thursday night.
The solo-vehicle crash occurred around 11:50 p.m. on the westbound side of the freeway near Reseda Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol’s traffic incident log.
The driver of a Lexus was heading west on the 118 Freeway west of Zelzah Avenue when, for unknown reasons, made a turning movement to the left, left the roadway, crashed into a guardrail, travelled up a dirt embankment, crashed into a concrete sewer drainage and caught fire, according to the CHP.
The fuel line was ruptured in the crash, causing the vehicle to burst into flames with the family of five still inside, CHP Sgt. Steve Geraty said.
The crash was witnessed by four Los Angeles Police Department SWAT officers who were on their way home.
The driver, 31-year-old David Cohen, was able to get himself and one of the children out of the vehicle, according to the CHP.
The officers helped pull the rest of the children out of the vehicle before the flames became too intense.
The mother was not able to be rescued and died as a result of the crash and fire. She was identified as 31-year-old Zeomara Cohen, of Northridge.
The children rescued from the vehicle ranged in age from 4 months to 9 years old. They were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries described by the CHP as bruises and lacerations.
Cohen, who was also hospitalized, has been arrested on suspicion of DUI and faces manslaughter charges, Geraty said. Booking records indicate his bail was set at $2 million.
Investigators believe the family was headed back from some type of graduation ceremony when the crash occurred.
The backup on the freeway caused by the crash led to another collision involving three other vehicles, Geraty said.
Two people injured in that incident were expected to survive.