UPDATE 11:40 a.m. Aug. 31:
Interstate 15 south at Clinton Keith Road between Wildomar and Murrieta was reopened Friday morning after the wreckage between a big rig and two passenger cars was cleared.
The truck driver suffered a minor cut to his head, but there were no other injuries, according to California Highway Patrol Spokesperson Nathan Baer.
According to Baer, the accident occurred when an unoccupied 1985 red Chevy Camaro was stopped in the number three lane. The truck driver, 42-year-old Dennis Santiago of San Diego, was traveling south at about 57 mph in the same lane and was unable to avoid hitting the Camaro, Baer said.
There was major damage to the Camaro upon impact, he said.
Santiago veered to the left and hit a 1996 Honda Civic being driven at about 70 mph in the number one lane by 30-year-old Jonathan Forno of Corona, according to Baer.
The truck and the Honda landed in the center divide and both hit the center median, Baer said. One of two trailers being hauled by Santiago overturned, and approximately 40 gallons of fuel spilled in the center divide, he said.
All southbund lanes were closed for precautionary measures, Baer said.
There were no arrests, and the driver of the Honda was injured, he said.
The scene was declared safe at 8:25 a.m. As of 11:20 a.m., the truck and trailer were being removed from the center divide.
ORIGINAL POST:
Interstate 15 south is closed at Clinton Keith Road between Murrieta and Wildomar following a crash involving a big rig, California Highway Patrol is reporting.
The big rig jack-knifed at about 11:59 p.m. Thursday near the southbound offramp to Clinton Keith, according to CHP. Caltrans was called out to assist with a "long term" closure of the freeway. A Sigalert has been issued until at least 4 a.m. Friday.
CHP officers have directed southbound motorists onto the center divide and back to the Clinton Keith Road exit.
A late-model red Camaro was involved in the crash. Unconfirmed reports indicate the Camaro may have been stopped in the slow lane and someone was attempting to flag other drivers down when the crash occurred.
Paramedics from the Murrieta Fire Department, Cal Fire and AMR responded to the crash site, but the extent of injuries was unknown at press time.
The Riverside County Fire Department Hazardous Materials team and County Environmental Health officials also responded to identify and offload unknown contents of the tank that was being hauled, according to Jody Hagemann, spokesperson for Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.
Caltrans District 8 sent a Twitter message indicating the truck was hauling pesticides, and that the extended closure could possibly continue into the morning traffic commute. Motorists should expect long delays, according to Caltrans.
