An already complex early-morning crash scene on I-15 North near Clairemont Mesa Boulevard took another turn when a suspected DUI driver plowed through a freeway closure and hit a CHP patrol car.
The first collision happened around 3:15 a.m., when a dark-colored sedan spun out and blocked lanes, causing a five-vehicle chain reaction. Witnesses said the driver had stepped into traffic waving her phone moments before the pile-up began. Firefighters and paramedics treated several patients and transported two people, including a child.
While tow trucks and Caltrans crews were finishing cleanup around 4:15 a.m., CHP reported a second impact. A small silver sedan entered the closure area and rear-ended an unoccupied patrol unit. The officer had stepped away moments earlier. The driver was detained on suspicion of DUI, and the passenger—severely intoxicated—was helped out by medics.
No officers were hurt. The secondary crash forced units to return to the scene and briefly extended the existing SIG Alert. CHP continues to investigate both incidents.
