Four Hospitalized in Mission Hills Truck Crash on Interstate

By Yosi Yahoudai Founder and Managing Partner

October 27, 2026

Truck Accidents

SAN DIEGO, CA – Four people were hospitalized after a sedan and a commercial truck collided on Interstate 5 in San Diego’s Mission Hills area Tuesday morning, Oct. 20. The crash sent the truck over the center divide, left its cab burning and forced hours of lane closures in both directions.

The California Highway Patrol received the collision report at about 9:44 a.m. on northbound I-5 near the Washington Street off-ramp. Officials said the sedan and truck collided, but they had not determined or released what led to the impact.

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Truck Crossed the Center Divide in Mission Hills

The force of the collision carried the truck onto the divider between the northbound and southbound lanes. Its cargo box came to rest across part of the southbound side while the cab hung over the freeway structure. Fuel spilled onto the roadway, and the divider sustained substantial damage.

San Diego Fire-Rescue crews found the truck’s cab on fire when they arrived. A CHP spokesperson said the driver had been ejected into the traffic lanes, while a passenger needed help climbing through a window. The two truck occupants were evaluated at the scene and declined transportation for further medical care, according to the emergency response account.

All four people in the sedan were taken to a hospital for treatment. Officials described their injuries only as varying in severity and did not release updated conditions. No additional injuries were reported.

San Diego Cleanup Continued for Hours

The damaged divider, spilled fuel and position of the truck complicated the response. Four northbound lanes and two southbound lanes were closed while crews treated the injured people, extinguished the fire and removed the vehicles. Crews also had to work around the damaged barrier before traffic could resume. Northbound traffic was diverted to Sassafras Street.

The closures caused extensive backups through the Old Town and downtown approaches. A traffic alert indicated that congestion stretched from Old Town Avenue toward Sixth and 10th avenues. The roadway remained restricted for more than five hours as crews worked around the truck and damaged center divide.

Authorities announced at about 5:45 p.m. that the northbound lanes had reopened, and both directions were fully open by about 6 p.m. The lengthy closure reflected the scale of the cleanup rather than a finding about which driver caused the collision.

The available reports did not identify the drivers, the truck’s carrier or owner, or the sedan’s occupants. They also did not state whether investigators issued citations. Responsibility for the collision remained undetermined as the CHP continued reviewing the crash.