Death investigation underway after series of accidents in Riverside; lanes closed on 91 Fwy

A series of collisions near a busy Riverside interchange resulted in one death and the closure of a section of Freeway 91 on Tuesday morning.

The tragic events began shortly before 1 a.m. when up to eight vehicles were involved in a pileup on the 215 Freeway northbound near Center Street.

One person had to be extricated from a vehicle and taken to a local hospital while officers worked to divert building traffic, according to freelance media outlet OnScene.TV.

A second collision was reported when an SUV struck the rear of a semi-truck around 2 a.m. on eastbound 91 near the 60/215 intersection, near the first crash site.

A person, whose identity has not yet been established, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

A SigAlert has been issued for the closure of lanes 91 northbound near the interchange.

It was unclear how long the closure would last.