Traffic & Transit
Southbound Temecula I-15 Commute Rife With Traffic, Police Activity
A police pursuit that began in Hemet and ended in Escondido, created a traffic nightmare for Tuesday morning commuters.
TEMECULA, CA —Southbound I-15 commuters traveling through Temecula had a tough drive Tuesday morning following a fatal police pursuit that ended in Escondido, California Highway Patrol announced.
The incident began around 1 a.m. when a driver reported being carjacked at gunpoint in Hemet, 10News reported. Police from the Murrieta Police Department later spotted the stolen car, but the driver refused to pull over and went onto the southbound I-15. That driver eventually crashed on southbound I-15, south of Deer Springs Road in Escondido, according to Caltrans.
Read: Carjacking Suspect Shoots Himself On I-15 Amid Police Chase: Report
Find out what's happening in Temeculawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Southbound I-15 commuters were slowed to between 5 mph and 15 mph on their drive. Heavy traffic was further slowed by a stalled sedan at Gopher Canyon at about 9 am., CHP officers said.
That car was stopped in the #3 lane for an undetermined period of time, according to dispatch operators.
Find out what's happening in Temeculawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Delays were expected on southbound I-15 through North County, as the freeway backed up to Rainbow Valley Road due to the incident.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
