BARSTOW, CA. (Pain In The Pass) >> At least two people were killed after a wrong-way driver struck a semi on Interstate 15 Thursday evening. (Photo above is credit by William Simandl.)
California Highway Patrol along with the Barstow City Fire Department were called to the scene. Emergency dispatcher said a wrong way driver was on southbound I-15 just before before L Street about 6pm on Thursday August 31, 2023.
According to reports, the incident involved a black Mazda CX5 and a white semi tractor-trailer.
According to CHP the Mazda was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes and collided into the semi. The semi-driver was able to avoid a head-on collision by swerving, but lost control and collided with the guardrail.
After collided with the guardrail, the semi cab caught fire stopped in the fast lanes. The cab was fully engulfed in flames and part of the trailer was on fire before the fire department arrived on scene. The driver and passenger were able to exit and were not injured. They were reported to be hauling 38,000 pounds of chicken.
Officials said both people in the Mazda were trapped in the vehicle due to major front-end damage and both sustained fatal injuries at the scene. Both names will be released by the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office.
CHP issued a SIG-Alert for all southbound lanes of I-15 from Barstow Road and L Street for the cleanup and removal of the vehicles. By 8:30pm CHP opened the #3 and #4 lanes. Traffic was back up for over six miles.
We will update this story with more information when the CHP’s preliminary accident report is available. Additional details were limited. This incident will be under investigation by the California Highway Patrol, Barstow Office.
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