OCEANSIDE–A fatal vehicle collision Monday afternoon on Interstate 5 in Oceanside left three people dead, according to the California Highway Patrol.
A male from Escondido was driving a 1996 Nissan sedan on I-5 southbound near Sate Route 76. According to witnesses, the sedan was about to exit at SR-76 when it suddenly attempted to return to the mainline freeway lanes and struck attenuators causing damage to the sedan. The vehicle came to rest on the right shoulder. After the collision with the attenuators, for reasons that are still under investigation, the vehicle moved from the right shoulder into the number one lane and stopped.
A second collision took place when a 2016 Nissan Sentra driven by a 65-year-old female from San Diego traveling within the same lane approached the location of the first collision. The 2016 Nissan struck the 1996 Nissan causing the 1996 Nissan to catch fire. The driver within the 1996 Nissan was killed during the collision. The 2016 Nissan Sentra had two 80-year-old passengers from San Diego within, a male and female, who also sustained fatal injuries during the second collision. The driver of the 2016 Nissan was transported to Scripps La Jolla Hospital with moderate injuries.
A third collision occurred as a 2018 Toyota Rav 4 being driven by a 38-year-old male from Huntington Park approached the scene and sideswiped one of the vehicles causing property damage only.
The deadly collision occurred at 5:19 p.m., according to the CHP.
The I-5 southbound lanes were affected for approximately two hours during the on-scene investigation. The collision, and the sobriety of the driver within the initial collision remain under investigation.
