LIVERMORE — A woman died Tuesday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash on westbound Interstate 580.
About 12:55 p.m., a tire on the woman's red Pontiac Grand Prix sedan blew out, said California Highway Patrol Officer Tyler Hahn.
He said witnesses told investigators that the blowout sent the car into the center divide on westbound 580 near the Portola Avenue exit.
The car then went back across three lanes of traffic toward the slow lane. The car was run over by the rear axle of a big rig and once again went across three lanes of traffic and hit the center median, where it came to rest facing the wrong direction, Hahn said.
The woman, whose identity has not yet been released, died at the scene.
The big rig driver was not injured. No citations or arrests were made at the scene, Hahn said. An investigation is continuing.
There was no indication that drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.
Three lanes of traffic were closed while investigators were on the scene.
All lanes reopened around 3 p.m.
Traffic in the westbound direction was backed up all the way to the Greenville Road exit, Hahn said.
Hahn said the combination of the accident, commuter traffic and people getting away for the weekend left the eastbound direction also congested—backed up to the San Ramon Road/Foothill Road exit in Dublin, west of the 580/680 interchange.