RTA Bus Carrying Five Passengers Involved In Six-Vehicle Pileup

A six-vehicle pileup on the southbound 15 Freeway at Winchester Road this morning led to seven injuries and a SigAlert.

The crash was reported at 7:52 a.m. near the freeway exit, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department spokeswoman Melody Hendrickson.

According to CHP, a Food 4 Less truck and an RTA bus carrying five passengers were among the crash vehicles.

One person had to be extricated from a vehicle, while a total of seven victims had to be transported to a local hospital for injuries ranging from critical to minor; two additional victims refused treatment at the scene, Hendrickson reported.

The California Highway Patrol shut down portions of the southbound 15; for a period, traffic was backed up on the 215 South to Newport Road, according to CHP.

As of 10 a.m., the 15 Freeway was partially reopened.

It’s unclear what caused the crash, which is under investigation.