Northbound Interstate 5 in San Joaquin County experienced significant disruption and a fiery multi-vehicle collision Wednesday morning, though all individuals involved were reported to have sustained at most minor injuries.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) logs indicate the crash was reported around 5:34 a.m., specifically north of Stockton at the Highway 12 off-ramp. The incident involved a big rig and three other vehicles, totaling four vehicles in the crash, as confirmed by CHP. Due to the severity and nature of the incident, CHP issued a SigAlert, signaling expectations for extended closures or delays.
Traffic on Interstate 5 was heavily congested following the early morning crash. By 7 a.m., Caltrans' traffic map clearly showed extensive congestion on northbound I-5, stretching from Highway 12 all the way to Hammer Lane, impacting morning commuters. KCRA 3's Mike Teselle arrived at the scene shortly before 7:20 a.m. and provided an initial assessment of the damage. He observed a burnt big rig, indicating the intensity of the fire, alongside a pickup truck that showed apparent signs of damage. Additionally, Teselle reported seeing three other burned-out vehicles.
By 8:25 a.m., approximately three hours after the initial report, Caltrans provided an update on the lane status for northbound I-5. The agency stated that the No. 1 and No. 2 lanes had successfully reopened to traffic, alleviating some of the early morning gridlock. However, the No. 3 lane continued to remain closed. Caltrans did not provide an estimated time for the reopening of this remaining closed lane, suggesting ongoing work or investigation at the scene.
The driver of the big rig involved in the crash, Amrit Singh, spoke about the incident. Singh indicated he was carrying mail at the time of the collision. According to Singh, the sequence of events began when a vehicle positioned in front of his big rig moved into the left lane. He explained that he was then unable to stop his large vehicle in time to prevent an impact, which ultimately led to the big rig sliding off the road. Singh further stated that he was able to exit his burning vehicle and actively assisted other people involved in the crash to get out of their respective vehicles before the fire spread more widely.
A CHP officer at the scene offered an early, unconfirmed assessment of what might have triggered the crash, suggesting that it "may have stemmed from a lane change issue." Singh conveyed his immense relief that no serious injuries occurred, stating, "Thank, thank, thank you, God, that everyone is safe."