Five-Car Crash at Main and Washington Injures Several in Downtown LA

The crash was reported shortly after 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 7, at the intersection of Main Street and East Washington Boulevard, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson told KTLA. Five vehicles were involved.

Citizen video described by KTLA showed a white pickup truck with heavy front-end damage stopped in the intersection, on the train tracks that run along East Washington Boulevard. The other four vehicles, one of them a dealership courtesy car, were damaged and stopped in the lanes of Washington Boulevard. The LAFD spokesperson said no trains were affected.

Five people were evaluated for injuries at the scene, and it was not clear how many were taken to hospitals. No deaths were reported. As of October 7, 2026, officials had not said how the chain of collisions began or what caused it, and the investigation is ongoing.

In a crash involving several vehicles, more than one driver can share responsibility, and each person’s share of fault is weighed separately. California uses pure comparative fault, so someone who is partly to blame can still recover, with the amount reduced by their own share. Our guide to how fault is determined in California car accidents explains how investigators and insurers sort this out.

When a business owns one of the vehicles, such as a dealership loaner or courtesy car, the owner’s insurance may also come into play. California makes a vehicle’s owner responsible when someone drives it with permission, though that owner liability is generally capped at $15,000 per injured person unless the driver was acting for the owner, such as an employee on the job (Veh. Code §§17150–17151). If a public agency’s signal or roadway may have played a part, a written government claim is generally due within six months (Gov. Code §911.2). Other injury lawsuits generally must be filed within two years (Code Civ. Proc. §335.1).

A few steps help protect a claim after a multi-vehicle crash: get medical care, even for pain that seems minor; get the police report number; save photos, video and witness names; and be careful about giving a recorded statement to another driver’s insurer before getting advice. Our checklist on what to do after a car accident, our list of mistakes that can hurt a claim and our guide to getting a rental car after a crash have more.

This information is a general overview and is not legal advice; your situation may differ, and consulting a legal professional can help you understand rights that may apply to you.

Wilshire Law Firm may be able to represent people hurt in the Main and Washington crash, and anyone injured in a car accident in Los Angeles. Our downtown Los Angeles office on South Figueroa Street is a short drive from the intersection, and our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers handle multi-vehicle crashes across the city.

With several drivers and insurers involved, sorting out who pays can get complicated quickly. A legal professional can gather the crash report and any video, identify each driver’s and vehicle owner’s coverage, and handle the adjusters while you focus on recovering. Our legal team is reachable around the clock, consultations cost nothing, and there are no fees unless you get paid. Learn more about our California car accident practice and our personal injury work statewide.

Hurt at Main and Washington on Wednesday, or in another pileup on Los Angeles streets? Tell us what happened. Wilshire Law Firm’s legal professionals will look at it with you, free of charge, and explain where you stand. We’re available 24/7, and there are no fees unless you get paid.

Contact Wilshire Law Firm today.