Driver Killed in Early Morning Freeway Crash in Boyle Heights

A fatal collision occurred early Thursday morning when a Kia Optima veered off the northbound 5 Freeway near Boyle Heights, resulting in the driver's death and substantial traffic disruptions.

The incident prompted a SigAlert that remained in effect for several hours, impacting the morning commute in the Boyle Heights area.

Authorities received a call around 2:15 a.m. reporting a suspected DUI driver. Shortly after, the vehicle reportedly went off the freeway and collided with an embankment, becoming lodged under an overpass. Firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department were observed working to extricate the vehicle, which sustained severe damage to its right side.

The California Highway Patrol issued a hard closure on the northbound 5 Freeway, diverting traffic onto the eastbound 10 Freeway for a period.

The identity of the deceased and the precise circumstances leading to the crash are currently under investigation.

An investigator from the Los Angeles County Coroner's office was assigned to the scene. The vehicle was removed by an evidence tow truck around 6:00 a.m., and the road closure was lifted shortly after 6:43 a.m.

Boyle Heights is located a few miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

This incident follows a separate tragic event earlier in the week where a news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth while covering another accident.