Nine vehicles and one motorcycle were involved in the 2:45 p.m. collision on Saturday at the intersection of Riverside and West Coast Highway, said Ralph Restadius, deputy chief for the Newport Beach Fire Department. Two cars were found lying on their sides; some people were trapped inside their cars.
"This was an extremely violent accident," said Newport Beach police Lt. Bill Hartford. "There was broken glass thrown from curb line to curb line."
Julia Allen, 27, of Newport Beach, was identified as one of the dead, according to City News Service. Her vehicle, reportedly the Ford Taurus, collided with a Toyota Tacoma pickup, according to police and the coroner's office.
Killed in the pickup were Christopher De La Cruz, 49, of Laguna Niguel, and Linda Burnett, 69, of Santa Ana, according to City News Service.
One person was taken to Western Medical Center in critical condition and is said to be "improving," Hartford said. Two people were taken to the hospital with possible broken bones and minor injuries. Hartford said all people involved in the collision were adults.
West Coast Highway was closed between Tustin Avenue and Newport Boulevard.
Hartford said a Ford Taurus sedan and Toyota Tacoma truck collided first. The initial crash then triggered eight other collisions. A motorcycle, convertible, truck and Volkswagen bug were among the other vehicles involved.
Three fire engines, three medic units, one truck and one battalion chief from the Newport Beach Fire Department responded to the accident.
Police will not yet comment on or provide details or witness reports about what may have caused the accident.