Three seriously injured, taken to hospital, after 3 car crash near San Diego.

Three people were hospitalized with major injuries sustained in a multi-vehicle collision on eastbound state Route 56 Friday evening.

The collision occurred near Black Mountain Road, just south of Rancho Penasquitos, around 8:20 p.m., a California Highway Patrol dispatcher said.

A witness report on the CHP online log said a westbound car had crossed into eastbound lanes of the freeway, setting off the collision, which appeared to involve three vehicles.

A dispatcher with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said three victims had to be freed from their vehicles and had suffered major trauma.