Two people were killed and three others suffered major injuries early on Monday, October 19, when a car travelling the wrong way on Interstate 680 in Concord collided head-on with another vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

The crash happened shortly before 2 a.m. in the northbound lanes of I-680, just south of Willow Pass Road. CHP officers first received reports of a vehicle travelling southbound in the northbound lanes, and less than a minute later were told of a head-on collision, Claycord reported, citing the CHP.

Investigators said a black Lexus sedan carrying four people was travelling in the wrong direction when it hit a black Chevrolet sedan driven by a woman who was alone in her car. Both rear-seat passengers in the Lexus were pronounced dead at the scene. The Lexus driver and its front-seat passenger, and the driver of the Chevrolet, all suffered major injuries and were taken to hospital.

CHP officers conducted a DUI investigation and took the driver of the Lexus into custody on suspicion of driving under the influence, Claycord reported. That is an allegation at this stage; the crash remains under investigation. Investigators also determined that the front-seat passenger and the female rear-seat passenger in the Lexus were not wearing seat belts, while the other occupants were properly restrained.

All northbound lanes of I-680 near Willow Pass Road were closed from about 1:56 a.m. until about 6:26 a.m. while investigators worked at the scene, with traffic diverted onto Highway 242, CBS News Bay Area reported via KION. Anyone who witnessed the collision or the events leading up to it is asked to contact the CHP's Contra Costa Area office at (925) 387-1900.

Sources: Claycord, October 19, 2026, reporting California Highway Patrol details; CBS News Bay Area via KION Central Coast, October 19, 2026.