Woman killed in fiery West Covina crash identified

1 killed in fiery overnight crash on 10 Freeway

One person was killed in a fiery crash in West Covina overnight.

WEST COVINA, Calif. - The coroner's office Saturday released the name of a 22-year-old woman killed in a fiery, high-speed, three-vehicle crash on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway in West Covina ostensibly caused by a teen suspected of DUI.

Evelin Salas Melgoza died from the "combined effects of blunt force trauma, inhalation of products of combustion and thermal burns," according to the coroner's website. Her city of residence was not available.

Officers from the California Highway Patrol were called at 12:02 a.m. Wednesday to the eastbound 10 Freeway just west of Azusa Avenue where they found three damaged vehicles that were involved in the collision, one which was on fire, according to the CHP.

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Melgoza had stopped her 2019 Nissan Sentra in the No. 1 lane due to heavy traffic and a Rancho Cucamonga man had stopped a 2007 Ford F-350 in the No. 2 lane when 19-year-old Palmdale man Noe L. Manzanarez drove a 2002 Toyota Camry at an "unsafe speed for changing traffic conditions" and crashed into the rear of the Sentra and causing another vehicle to hit the pickup, according to CHP Officer D. Porter.

Melgoza was pronounced dead at the scene, Porter said.

Manzanarez suffered minor injuries and was arrested. "Alcohol is suspected to be a factor in this collision," the officer said.