Gunfire on 580 causes crash, leaves one person wounded

OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - A shooting and a crash involving multiple vehicles on Highway 580 eastbound in Oakland caused headaches for evening commuters.

Oakland Police Lieutenant Chris Bolton tells KTVU, investigators received information that a shooting led to the collision of vehicles.

Two cars involved in the crash sat facing the wrong direction on Highway 580 near the Broadway exit. The light color sedan had heavy front end damage and was riddled with bullets - six by KTVU's count. Nearby, a black car was also damaged.

Police say the driver of the light color sedan suffered a non-life threatening gunshot wound. He was transported to a hospital.

California Highway Patrol told KTVU three vehicles were involved in the crash, but one driver was determined not to be involved in the shooting and was allowed to leave soon after the incident.

CHP detained one man for questioning at the scene. But as of Wednesday night, police say they do not have anyone in custody. Police are now looking for one person who fled the scene on foot.

Drivers KTVU spoke with were surprised. "All this shooting needs to stop," said Eugena Nute, of Richmond. "The shootings in this area. I just don't believe them....Why?" Asked Ivor Tanner who says she drives on Highway 580, in the area where the shooting occurred, daily.

The collision led CHP to close off two lanes of the highway during the height of the evening commute. That left only one lane open and snarled traffic for hours.

"It was at a standstill for a good while," said Eugena Nute, a shuttle driver for a hospital. She says the traffic spilled onto city streets and caused a major headache.

"I got caught up. It put me behind schedule getting people back and forth," said Nute.

Another commuter says she made a detour. "What I'm going to do in the interim, I'm going to make a stop at the grocery store...buy myself the time...so people can get off the freeway," said Tanner.

CHP says Highway 580 eastbound reopened to traffic shortly after 7 p.m.