Two Killed, Three Hurt in I-5 Crash

SAN CLEMENTE —  Two people were killed and three others injured in a Sunday evening traffic collision that briefly closed all southbound lanes of Interstate 5, leaving motorists backed up for miles, authorities said.

The accident virtually tore one of the vehicles in two, scattering debris across all lanes of the southbound I-5 south of Camino de Estrella.

“It was a real mess out there,” said Orange County Fire Authority Battalion Chief Greg Petersen. The accident occurred about 6 p.m. Sunday when a newer model Ford pickup truck slammed into the rear of an older model Dodge pickup, Petersen said. The Dodge was traveling slowly, apparently because of engine trouble, when the driver of the Ford collided with it, he said.

“It looks like the Dodge was trying to pull to the side of the road,” Petersen said. “The Ford was traveling at a fairly high rate of speed. [The driver] probably didn’t realize the Dodge was going slow. We didn’t see any skid marks out there.”

Investigators were still sifting through the wreckage, seeking the cause of the accident late Sunday. Little was known about the identities of the victims.

Petersen said an adult Latina and an 18-month child--both apparently riding in the Ford--were killed in the collision. Three other people, including two trauma victims, were transported to Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo, where one was listed in serious condition with chest and abdominal injuries. Two others were listed in stable condition with cuts and other minor injuries.

Two small children involved in the collision who suffered no apparent injuries were taken to the hospital as a precaution. The spokeswoman said they would probably be released Sunday night.

It was unclear which vehicles the injured victims were in, Petersen said.

Immediately after the accident, California Highway Patrol officers closed all lanes of the southbound Interstate 5 for about 20 minutes. Two lanes were then reopened, while the rest remained blocked for several hours.

Traffic on both sides of the freeway was backed up for miles.