Early-morning multi-vehicle crash on southbound I-710 near SR-91 in Long Beach blocked several lanes and led to a full closure before reopening.
Accident News Report
On August 9, 2026, a multi-vehicle collision was reported on southbound Interstate 710 near the State Route 91 transition in the Long Beach area. Initial dispatch logs around 3:59 a.m. described a dark-colored sedan and a yellow truck with a white trailer, with the truck and trailer on the right shoulder and the sedan in the center divider. Subsequent updates referenced a white Dodge Challenger, a white Chevrolet Camaro, a white sedan, and a white Nissan, with several vehicles reported blocking the fast lane and middle lanes. Officials reclassified the incident from a collision with unknown injuries to a collision with emergency medical response en route. One report indicated a driver left a passenger in a vehicle with a possible injury. Fire personnel were requested, and authorities later sought the names of fire department staff who responded. Traffic on southbound I-710 was heavily affected. The number 1 and 2 lanes were shut down just south of SR-91, and the eastbound SR-91 to southbound I-710 transition was blocked. Authorities requested the state transportation department for a hard closure and later reported vehicles reversing northbound on the southbound lanes, prompting traffic breaks. Long Beach police were notified, and a city tow truck was requested and later canceled on scene. By about 5:01 a.m., officials reported that the number 3 and 4 lanes were open, and by 5:54 a.m. all lanes had reopened. No additional information on the number or extent of injuries was provided in the log. The incident remains under investigation by authorities.
Incident Details
What California law says after a car accident
Reporting requirements after a California collision
California imposes reporting duties on drivers that are separate from any insurance claim.
A report must be filed with the DMV on form SR-1 within ten days of a collision that caused any injury, any death, or more than one thousand dollars in property damage to any one person. This duty applies regardless of fault, applies even when police responded and wrote their own report, and is not satisfied by notifying an insurance company. With current repair costs, most collisions that involve a body shop meet the damage threshold.
A separate rule covers collisions causing injury or death. The driver must make a written report to the California Highway Patrol, or to the city police department where the collision happened in a city, within twenty four hours. The statute states this duty for every injury or fatal collision. In practice, where officers responded and completed a report at the scene, that report generally satisfies the agency’s need, but a driver who assumes this without confirming it is relying on practice rather than on the text of the law.
Missing the DMV deadline can lead to suspension of driving privileges, an outcome unrelated to who caused the collision.
California filing deadlines for injury and death claims
In California, a lawsuit for personal injury caused by another person’s negligence generally must be filed within two years of the injury, under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. A claim for a death caused by another’s wrongful act or neglect runs under the same two-year period.
Shorter deadlines apply in specific situations. If a city, county or state agency may be responsible, a written claim must normally be presented to that public entity within six months. Claims involving minors, injuries that are not discovered right away, and certain defendants can follow different timelines.
Which deadline applies depends on the facts of each situation, and the standard two-year period does not govern every claim.
Your Rights After a Car Accident in California
A collision like this one raises questions about fault, insurance and medical costs, usually before anyone has had time to think about them. These guides explain how California handles them.
- Los Angeles car accident lawyer: fault, insurance offers, and what a claim is worth
- Brain and spinal cord injury lawyer: for collisions causing serious or lasting injury
- All practice areas
Injured in This Accident? Get Trusted Legal Guidance
After an accident, the right information can make a meaningful difference. If you or a loved one was hurt, The Law Offices of Burg and Brock, Inc. can help you understand your rights and options.
Speak with our legal team today before making important decisions.