3 Die in Accidents on the 405

Three people died and at least nine were injured in two separate multiple-vehicle accidents that occurred within a quarter-mile of each other early Sunday morning on the northbound San Diego Freeway near Seal Beach Boulevard.

At least one person was killed in each of the incidents, which occurred about an hour apart. By late Sunday afternoon, the California Highway Patrol couldn’t say which accident claimed the third victim.

The first incident, which resulted in at least one fatality and eight injuries to passengers in four vehicles, occurred about 1:30 a.m. north of the Seal Beach Boulevard exit, said a California Highway Patrol spokesman.

A 1990 Toyota Camry with a flat tire stopped in traffic lanes, leading to crashes that sent two cars into retaining walls, police said.

Sysouphanh Inthichack, 19, of Baldwin Park, died at the scene, police said. Three others in the car, which hit the retaining wall, suffered serious injuries. One passenger was being treated at Mission Viejo Regional Medical Center, one at Santa Ana Hospital Medical Center and one at Long Beach Memorial Hospital, police said.

One person in the stalled car was taken to UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange with severe injuries, and two people in a Toyota 4 Runner that hit the Camry were treated for minor injuries at Los Alamitos Hospital, police said. Two people in a Ford Windstar also struck by the 4 Runner were treated at La Palma Intercommunity Hospital for minor injuries.

The second crash took place about 70 minutes later, just south of Seal Beach Boulevard, when the driver of a Honda Civic rear-ended a different Toyota 4 Runner that apparently stopped for traffic from the first accident, police said.

The Honda spun out into shrubbery off the shoulder. The impact caused the 4 Runner to sideswipe a Chevy van slowing for traffic, according to the CHP.

Mauricio Salazar, 24, of Santa Ana, who was in the Honda, died at the scene. Another Honda passenger was taken to Long Beach Memorial Hospital, and two others were transported to UC Irvine Medical Center.

The third victim, Mai Dong, 19, of Baldwin Park, died at Long Beach Memorial Hospital.