Truck Accident on Interstate 5 in Mission Hills, CA, on October 20, 2026

A sedan and a box truck collided on northbound Interstate 5 near Washington Street in Mission Hills, California, around 10 a.m. Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The crash closed lanes in both directions and disrupted traffic for hours. The truck came to rest across the freeway’s center divide. Its cargo box extended into the southbound lanes, while its cab hung over the southbound side of the freeway. According to a San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesperson, the cab was burning when crews arrived. The California Highway Patrol said the truck driver was ejected into the roadway. A passenger was helped out through a window, and both truck occupants declined medical care. All four people in the sedan were taken to a hospital, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue. Specific injuries and their conditions were not reported. Fuel spilled across the roadway, and the center divider sustained extensive damage. Officials closed lanes to allow crews to clean up the spill. Four northbound lanes and two southbound lanes remained closed for hours, according to the CHP. Traffic was diverted to Sassafras Street. A traffic alert described backups extending from Old Town Avenue toward 6th Avenue and 10th Avenue as delays affected both directions of the interstate. Lane closures continued more than five hours after the collision. By about 6 p.m., both directions of Interstate 5 had fully reopened, according to the CHP.