A fatal collision occurred Wednesday evening on Interstate 5 near Thornton, a small community at the Sacramento-San Joaquin County line, when a driver entered the opposite lanes causing a multi-vehicle accident.
The California Highway Patrol reported that the incident, involving a semi-truck and two smaller trucks, took place around 4:30 p.m. on the southbound side of I-5 at Walnut Grove Road.
According to authorities, a female motorist was traveling northbound when she veered into the southbound traffic, sideswiping a semi-truck and subsequently colliding head-on with another truck.
The wrong-way driver succumbed to her injuries at the accident scene, while two individuals from the other vehicles suffered injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital. The extent of their injuries has not been disclosed.
Emergency responders from the Thornton Fire District were amongst the first on the scene. Additional support was provided by Woodbridge Fire District personnel, who were summoned to deal with a vehicle that had caught fire amid the wreckage.
Detectives are continuing to investigate why the motorist crossed into oncoming traffic, and whether impairment from drugs or alcohol played a role in the deadly crash.
The aftermath of the accident significantly disrupted traffic on the southbound lanes of I-5 for several hours as the investigation and cleanup unfolded.
Source: CBS News
