A vehicle was heading west on Norrish Road near State Route 115 when it traveled “in the direct path” of a large truck heading north on 115, California Highway Patrol officer Arturo Platero said. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
There were 27 passengers in the SUV who hit a gravel semi-truck, said Judy Cruz, the director of the emergency department at the El Centro Regional Medical Center.
She said 14 people were dead on the scene and another person died shortly after arriving at the hospital.
“Patients are going through a rough time, as you can imagine,” said Adolphe Edward, CEO of El Centro Regional Medical Center. “This was a major accident and we’re taking care of them in the emergency department.”
Imperial County Fire officials said multiple agencies responded to the crash, which is being treated as a high casualty event.
The crash site is located in southeastern California, about 10 miles east of El Centro and about 10 miles north of the Mexican border.