Two dead in ‘chaotic’ 35-vehicle crash on California’s I-5

Two people died Saturday in a catastrophic chain-reaction crash on California’s Interstate 5 in Kern County.

Amid foggy conditions around 7:30 a.m. Saturday, multiple southbound vehicles collided between Millux and Old River roads about 20 miles north of the Grapevine. As more cars encountered the scene and slammed on the brakes, the pileup worsened. Caltrans officials said 17 vehicles and 15 big rigs were involved in the incident. 

According to Kern County battalion chief Jim Calhoun, the scene was “chaotic,” with at least one of the trucks carrying compressed natural gas that necessitated evacuating motorists while triaging injuries.

“A lot of the bystanders that weren’t injured were trying to help people and were in a plume of natural gas so we had to deal with that first and get everyone evacuated from that area,” Calhoun told Bakersfield Now.

Video taken at the scene showed dozens of damaged cars and trucks, many of which ended up on a grass median. Kern County fire officials said two people died and nine more were injured in the pile-up. 

Due to the scope of the investigation and the clean-up needed, the roadway was closed throughout Saturday. Conditions are still dangerous on I-5 Sunday morning. There’s a high-wind advisory in effect for the area in and around the Grapevine, and Caltrans is asking campers and trailers to avoid travel there. A winter weather advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. Sunday, with the National Weather Service cautioning “patchy blowing snow” and “strong winds” could endanger drivers in the Kern County mountains. “Slow down and use caution while traveling,” the weather service said.