Ventura Freeway Pileup Hospitalizes Five

Five people were hospitalized, three with major injuries, after a three-car pileup that halted traffic on the Ventura Freeway near Forest Lawn Drive for more than 90 minutes Saturday morning, authorities said.

The crash occurred about 9:30 a.m. in the car-pool lane on the eastbound side of the freeway after one vehicle slowed because of a tire blowout or mechanical problems, California Highway Patrol Officer Bruce Ferrier said.

The car behind it also slowed down, but a third car driven by Ewan F. Berruelos, 18, of North Hollywood slammed into the second car, which struck the first vehicle, Ferrier said.

Three children in Berruelos’ car suffered serious injuries. A 9-year-old boy was taken to Childrens Hospital, a 15-year-old girl was transported to Northridge Hospital Medical Center, and a 17-year-old girl was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. A 5-year-old boy in the car was not injured, Ferrier said.

The names of the passengers were not released, and their relation to Berruelos was not available. All live in North Hollywood, Ferrier said.

Berruelos will be charged with causing the accident because he appeared to be driving too fast for road conditions, the officer said.

The first vehicle in the pileup was driven by Joan Weissenberg, 36, of West Hills, Ferrier said. She sustained minor injuries and was taken to St. Joseph’s, but her six passengers--five of them children--were not hurt, he said.

The driver of the middle car, Charles Tanner, 53, of Simi Valley was uninjured. His wife, Joan, 52, suffered moderate injuries but was not hospitalized, Ferrier said. A 12-year-old daughter had moderate injuries and was airlifted to Childrens Hospital, he said.