William Yost Obituary, Death; – The first of two individuals who lost their lives in a devastating multi-vehicle accident on Sunday morning, reportedly instigated by a wrong-way driver on the westbound 134 near San Rafael Avenue in Pasadena, has been identified.
According to City News Service, the Medical Examiner’s office confirmed that one of the victims was 31-year-old William Yost, who is believed to have resided in Altadena.
Authorities reported that the collision also resulted in serious injuries to three additional individuals. The incident occurred around 8:10 a.m. when a vehicle entered the westbound lanes from the San Rafael off-ramp, traveling eastbound, as per California Highway Patrol records. A witness in a silver Volvo stated that a white sedan collided with a silver minivan and two other vehicles, describing the impact as causing the vehicles to “explode.”
Pasadena police officers were among the first responders on the scene and played a significant role in both rescue efforts and traffic management, as noted by City spokesperson Lisa Derderian.
The crash involved at least four vehicles, including a Honda, a Toyota Prius, and two others that were so extensively damaged that they were initially unrecognizable to emergency personnel. Derderian remarked, “All accidents are unfortunate, but this is one of the most horrific incidents our first responders have encountered.”
The accident led to significant traffic delays in the surrounding area, particularly affecting the Colorado Street Bridge. A Sigalert issued at 8:34 a.m. to close the westbound freeway at Orange Grove Boulevard was lifted at 1:08 p.m.
