3 motorcyclists dead in crash on I-5 near Camp Pendleton, two left lanes remain closed

All lanes of southbound Interstate 5 near Camp Pendleton are closed early Thursday due to a crash that killed three people, the California Highway Patrol said.

The crash was reported around 3 a.m. just south of Las Pulgas Road. A jeep swerved and hit the guardrail and became disabled in the southbound lanes. Then a Mercedes van hit the Jeep and overturned, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Hunter Gerber. This caused a chain reaction crash where then four motorcyclists crashed into the van.

Three of the four motorcyclists died at the scene, Gerber said.

“Traffic is backed up until Orange County. We are asking everyone to avoid the area if they can,” Officer Gerber said.

All lanes of southbound I-5 were closed for a couple of hours in the early morning and through rush hour traffic. Traffic was being diverted off at Las Pulgas Road. By 11 a.m., two right lanes at Las Pulgas road reopened.

The driver of the van was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. One of the motorcyclists was transported to the hospital with major injuries. Two people in the Jeep had major life-threatening injuries and two people in the Mercedes van were transported with moderate injuries.

An investigation is ongoing.

No other information was available.

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