The driver of an SUV headed the wrong way on the 73 Freeway in Newport Beach was killed after colliding with another vehicle Sunday night.
The crash was reported just before 9:30 p.m. as the SUV was traveling northbound on the southbound lanes of the freeway when it collided with a sedan just north of MacArthur Boulevard.
The SUV overturned and burst into flames following the crash, which prompted the closure of all southbound lanes.
The California Highway Patrol’s traffic incident log stated that the SUV was believed also to be traveling at a high rate of speed.
The unidentified driver of the SUV was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the sedan was injured but the extent of those injuries was not immediately clear.
The freeway lanes were reopened around 2:30 a.m. Monday.
There was no immediate word on why the SUV driver entered the freeway going the wrong direction.