National City

An 88-year-old man was killed Friday when a second vehicle crashed into his car, which authorities say had stopped on Interstate 5 and was facing south in the northbound lanes. A third vehicle rammed the second.

Danny Cortez of Santee was pronounced dead shortly after noon at the scene, near the 24th Street exit, Deputy Coroner Dan Matticks said. The driver of another car involved in the accident remained hospitalized late Friday in serious condition.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the accident occurred when a car driven by Richard Drew, 30, of San Diego crashed into Cortez’s car.

CHP Officer Ed Benjamin said a third vehicle, driven by Lanny Dush, 37, of Imperial Beach, then crashed into Drew’s car. The crash ignited Drew’s gas tank and both his car and Dush’s pickup truck caught fire, Benjamin said.

Benjamin said it was not known whether Cortez had been traveling in the wrong direction before the accident occurred.

Drew was taken by Life Flight to UC San Diego Medical Center, where a spokeswoman said late Friday that he was in serious condition. Dush and a 10-year-old passenger were both treated at other hospitals for minor injuries.

Matticks said Cortez suffered massive internal chest injuries.