Four-car crash ties up LJ area traffic

A 21-year-old Imperial Beach man was seriously injured Thursday in a four-car crash that tied up traffic on Interstate 805 in the La Jolla area for more than two hours, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The man was driving a 1999 Chevrolet Malibu northbound on the freeway,south of Nobel Drive, around 4:20 a.m. when the car drifted off the right side of the road and then swerved back to the left across all lanes, said CHP spokesman Brad Baehr.

The Malibu struck a steel guardrail in the center median, then came to rest facing south across two lanes of the 805, according to Baehr.

Moments later, the Malibu was sideswiped by a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt just as the man in the Malibu was getting out of his vehicle, Baehr said.

The Malibu was then struck by a 2004 BMZ 325 and a large SUV, the officer said.

The man driving the Malibu was taken to Scripps La Jolla Hospital with major injuries to his legs and possible head trauma, Baehr said.

A 39-year-old San Diego woman who was driving the Cobalt was also taken

to Scripps when she complained of chest pain.

A SigAlert for the area was lifted shortly before 7 a.m.