CHP: Last Minute Lane Change Likely Cause of 4 Car Crash at Beaumont Ave.

Two cars were totaled and two others were damaged Wednesday in a chain-reaction car crash in Beaumont that temporarily blocked traffic.

The crash happened at around 1:35 p.m. on the westbound I-10 off-ramp at Beaumont Avenue when a woman apparently made a last minute decision to exit the freeway, according to California Highway Patrol officers on scene.

Not having enough time to slow down at the off-ramp, the woman slammed into a black Hyundai sedan, totaling it, CHP Officer Roland Burgess told Banning-Beaumont Patch.  

The driver of that car, Menifee resident Rob Keenan, told Patch that he saw the woman coming and tried to get out of the way-- but couldn't get to the side fast enough.  Keenan said he had just bought his car three weeks ago.

The woman's car then hit a Toyota pick-up, which in turn slammed into another sedan, Burgess said.  Both those cars were damaged, but could be driven away from the scene.

Though the case is still under investigation, witnesses said the woman may have been driving faster than the speed limit when she decided to exit, CHP said.