Traffic on southbound Interstate 5 near the San Onofre scale facility ground to a halt Thursday after a fatal crash shut down most of the freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol. Lanes 1, 2, and 3 are closed, while lane 4 remains open, creating heavy backups that stretch into North County. Investigators are still on scene, and drivers are being urged to expect major delays and move through the area with extra caution.
What CHP posted
According to CHP Oceanside, officers are "working a fatality crash" on southbound I-5 near the San Onofre scale facility and are warning drivers to use caution while the investigation continues. The post reports that lanes 1 through 3 are blocked, with only lane 4 open, and cautions motorists to expect ongoing delays until the scene is cleared.
🚨 Traffic Alert: S/B I-5 near Scales 🚨
— CHP Oceanside Area (@CHP_Oceanside) February 26, 2026
🔺️ Southbound I-5 near the San Onofre Scale Facility there is a SIG Alert as CHP is working a fatality crash. The #1, 2, and 3 lanes are closed, while the #4 lane remains open.
Expect ongoing delays and please use caution. pic.twitter.com/NAKRZYNlgG
Where this is
The "scale facility" is the San Onofre truck weigh station along I-5 near mile marker 67, just north of Camp Pendleton and San Onofre State Beach. That stretch of freeway is notorious for slowing to a crawl when lanes are restricted, a pattern noted by AARoads. When traffic stacks up here, backups can quickly spill into Oceanside and other North County communities.
Commuter impact and what to expect
With three of the four southbound lanes shut down, drivers should plan for multi-mile backups and serious delays if they are heading toward Oceanside or Camp Pendleton. Real-time congestion and incident maps are already showing heavy traffic in this stretch of I-5, with updated conditions available on Commutedash.
If you witnessed the crash
CHP is asking anyone who saw the collision or has dashcam or cell phone video from the area to contact the Oceanside Area office. The office lists its phone number as 760-643-3400 and encourages witnesses to share anything that might help investigators piece together what happened.
Background
This part of I-5 has seen its share of serious wrecks in recent years; for context, see earlier Hoodline coverage of a multi-vehicle crash near Camp Pendleton. This story will be updated as CHP or other agencies release more details on the current incident.
