Accident doesn’t add to injury

COSTA MESA -- A three-car accident on the Costa Mesa Freeway on Tuesday

morning looked worse than it was. All of the drivers walked -- or limped

-- away from injury.

One of the drivers miraculously escaped harm although he had suffered

an earlier injury that had his doctor requiring him to use crutches.

The accident occurred about 7:45 a.m. when the already-injured man was

driving a 1994 BMW traveling northbound on the freeway. He told police he

was cut off by an unidentified motorists and swerved to his left to avoid

ramming the other car.

The man didn’t see a 1985 Mazda going about 65 mph next to him and

struck the vehicle, sending his car careening out of control, authorities

said. The driver of the Mazda was able to gain control of his car, but

the BMW spun across two lanes of traffic and hit a 1976 Ford van. The

van’s driver lost control of the vehicle and struck the freeway median.

Authorities said no one was injured despite the heavy damage sustained

to all three vehicles. All of the victims were wearing seat belts, which

police believe prevented serious injury.

One lane of traffic was closed for nearly a half an hour as crews

cleared the vehicles involved in the accident from the road.

-- Greg Risling