Video above: This FOX 5/KUSI video provides driving safety tips.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — At least one person was killed in a multi-vehicle pile-up on southbound Interstate 8 on Saturday morning, a major collision that prompted a full closure of the freeway for several hours.
According to California Highway Patrol, the situation unfolded around 8:50 a.m., just south Imperial Avenue and north of 43rd Street.
A vehicle was reportedly parked on the right shoulder of the freeway when it was struck by another vehicle. CHP said the impact caused the vehicle to veer into the lanes of traffic, ultimately involving additional motorists in the crash. At least five vehicles were impacted.
“Right now we have one person deceased,” CHP Sgt. Millen Mateo told FOX 5/KUSI at the scene. “Of the five vehicles, we have approximately five people transported to the hospital for various injuries—from minor to major.”
“So right after the scene was stabilized, we stopped and closed all lanes of traffic due to the investigation—due to evidence being across all traffic lanes,” Sgt. Mateo continued.
Traffic on the southbound freeway was gridlocked for several hours as authorities assessed the scene. Around 1 p.m., CHP reopened the left three lanes while the two right lanes remain closed. The freeway is expected to fully reopen after their investigation is complete and clean-up efforts have concluded.
“Right now, it’s undetermined what the cause of the crash is, but we’re still investigating,” said Sgt. Mateo.
An investigation into the multi-vehicle pile-up remains ongoing. Meanwhile, CHP is encouraging motorists to slow down, obey traffic signs and the speed limit, wear seatbelts at all times, and avoid distractions like cell phones and eating while driving.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
