VIDEO: Fifteen people were killed Tuesday when an SUV believed to be carrying 27 people struck a semi-truck in Imperial County, medical officials said.
The crash occurred off state Route 115 north of Holtville, a city 11 miles east of El Centro.
Fourteen people died at the scene, Judy Cruz, managing director for the emergency department at El Centro Regional Medical Center said in a news conference. Seven patients were taken to El Centro Regional Medical Center, where one died. Two patients were taken to Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawley.
Twenty-seven passengers were believed to be inside the SUV when it struck a semi-truck full of gravel, Cruz said.
All lanes of northbound and southbound SR-115 were closed at Norrish Road, Caltrans San Diego said in a tweet.