In the early hours of Sunday, January 18, 2026, a violent multi-vehicle crash occurred on the Golden State Freeway in Los Angeles, resulting in the death of a 28-year-old man. The accident took place on the northbound lanes of Interstate 5, just south of the Griffith Park area, near the Los Feliz Boulevard off-ramp.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) first received reports of the collision at 3:18 a.m. When emergency crews arrived, they discovered a chaotic scene involving at least four and possibly as many as six vehicles. The pileup included a white sedan and several dark or black-colored vehicles. The force of the impacts was severe, causing at least one vehicle to roll over, and debris was scattered across the roadway.
Amidst the wreckage, a 28-year-old Latino male was found with fatal injuries sustained in the crash. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner responded to the scene and formally pronounced the man dead. He was later identified as Moses Jimenez.
The CHP immediately shut down multiple northbound lanes of I-5 to conduct rescue operations, attend to other injured parties, and begin their investigation. The closure caused significant traffic disruptions during the early morning hours. The exact sequence of events leading to the multi-vehicle pileup remains under an active investigation by the CHP’s Central Los Angeles area office.
As of the initial reports, the official manner and cause of Moses Jimenez’s death have not been released by the Medical Examiner’s office. These determinations are pending the completion of their investigation and autopsy. The CHP is working to determine factors such as speed, weather conditions, and driver impairment that may have contributed to the chain-reaction crash on the freeway.
The tragic death of Moses Jimenez highlights the dangers of high-speed freeway travel, particularly during late-night hours. Authorities urge anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has dashcam footage from the area around 3:15 a.m. to contact the CHP’s Central Los Angeles office to assist with the ongoing investigation.