A police chase ended in a wrong-way, head-on crash on Highway 4 in Concord on Saturday evening, shutting down every eastbound lane west of Willow Pass and leaving commuters stuck in a long backup.

What happened

The California Highway Patrol said a Honda Civic being chased by the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office crashed into a vehicle around 6 p.m. and then got onto the eastbound side of the freeway heading the wrong direction, NBC Bay Area reported. The Honda clipped a couple of other cars before slamming head-on into a Jeep Grand Cherokee and flipping over.

The woman driving the Honda had moderate injuries, according to the CHP. She and her passenger ran from the wreck on foot, and deputies caught both of them.

News24-680 reported that air and ground units had been searching for two people suspected in a possible assault on a police officer, and watched as the car turned against traffic in an apparent attempt to get away. At least three ambulances were sent to the scene, the outlet said. Authorities had not released the condition of the people in the Jeep or the other cars that were hit.

The traffic mess

CHP Contra Costa posted a traffic alert at 6:50 p.m. saying lanes one through four of eastbound Highway 4 west of Willow Pass were closed, with no estimated reopening time, and urged drivers to find another route. The stretch quickly turned into a parking lot as cars piled up behind the crash.

A familiar stretch

It's not the first time a chase has ended in a wrong-way wreck on this part of the freeway. In a separate incident, East County Today reported that a driver in a pickup the sheriff's office was trying to stop as a stolen vehicle went the wrong way in the eastbound lanes near Willow Pass Road and collided head-on with an SUV, which caught fire. Several people were hurt in that crash.

No names or charges had been released in Saturday's crash as of early Sunday. The CHP is typically responsible for investigating freeway collisions, while the sheriff's office handles the pursuit and any arrests.

If you drive Highway 4 through Concord, check the CHP or 511 for current lane conditions before heading out.