SALEM, Ore. — ODOT crews are busy this week on a section of I-5 South of Salem. Drivers should expect overnight closures of I-5 both directions through Wednesday night from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
This Battle Creek Bridge Section of work is part of a much larger vision of turning I-5 into 3 lanes both directions long-term in that stretch between Delaney Road and Keubler Boulevard – exits 248 to 252.
Eventually, ODOT hopes to have roundabouts installed on the east side of I-5 for safety as well.
The backup on Interstate 5 in the early-morning hours Saturday Nov. 22, 2025 after a motorist was shot by law enforcement. (Photo courtesy of OnScene.TV)
A police pursuit ended in Oceanside Saturday with a shooting involving law enforcement that shut down Interstate 5 for hours, authorities said.
The shooting left the suspect with “major injuries,” according to the California Highway Patrol, which said a firearm was recovered at the scene.
Officers with the Buena Park Police Department attempted to pull over a gray 2005 Cadillac CTS for a traffic violation at about 12:45 a.m. Saturday, near the intersection of La Palma Avenue and San Marino Drive, authorities said.
The driver took off, leading officers on a pursuit through Orange County, Long Beach and back into Orange County on southbound I-5, Buena Park Sgt. Martin Tomsick said.
Officers turned the pursuit over to the California Highway Patrol at 1:05 a.m., but kept their K-9 Unit involved in the chase at the request of the CHP, according to Tomsick.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office dispatched aerial drones at 2:15 a.m. to assist with finding the suspect, according to SDSO Lt. Sean Gallagher.
Tomsick said the pursuit ended in gunfire on southbound I-5 in the Camp Pendleton area and that a Buena Park K-9 officer and at least one CHP officer fired their weapons at a suspect. It appeared no officers were injured, he said.
In a late evening news release, the CHP added details about the shooting, saying that the Cadillac driver, armed with a handgun, exited the vehicle and fled on foot just prior to the shooting.
For several hours the suspect remained in a “large brush area” in the median between the northbound and southbound lanes of the freeway north of Harbor Drive, the CHP said. Despite commands from CHP and Buena Park officers, the suspect refused to surrender and remained uncooperative until 7:40 a.m., when they were able to take the person into custody.
The CHP offered no further information on the driver’s condition or identifying characteristics such as gender or age.
During their investigation, officers recovered an unserialized firearm, known as a “ghost gun,” in the area where the suspect was taken into custody, the CHP said. The agency’s Border Division Major Crimes Unit is investigating the cause and sequence of events during the pursuit and shooting.
I-5 was temporarily closed in both directions, and a Sigalert was issued shortly after 2:30 a.m. between Harbor Drive in Oceanside and Christianitos Road in San Clemente, according to the CHP.
CHP Officer Hunter Gerber said northbound I-5 through Camp Pendleton was partially open for lanes 2-4 as of 9:30 a.m., while the No. 1 lane remained closed. Lanes 2-4 reopened shortly before 2 p.m., and all northbound and southbound lanes on were opened by mid-afternoon.
Traffic on southbound I-5 from San Clemente had been being diverted to the right shoulder south of Christianitos, according to Gerber.
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office is weighing whether to close parts of Interstate 5 beginning Friday amid concerns over what it says is a White House-directed plan to use live ordnance during a military anniversary celebration off Camp Pendleton’s coast in San Diego County — where Navy ships are expected to fire over the freeway onto the base.
Newsom’s office has received, but not confirmed, reports that live ordnance will be fired from offshore vessels during the event commemorating the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary. The event is titled “Sea to Shore — A Review of Amphibious Strength” and will feature Vice President JD Vance.
Newsom’s office said it has received little information about the event or safety plans. The military show of force coincides with No Kings rallies and marches across the state on Saturday that are expected to draw large crowds, demonstrations challenging Trump and what critics say is government overreach.
“Donald Trump and JD Vance think that shutting down the I-5 to shoot out missiles from ships is how you respect the military,” Newsom posted on the social media site X Wednesday.
A military media advisory said the celebration will include a live amphibious assault demonstration. The Times could not confirm whether live ordnance will be fired over the freeway. The White House and Marine Corps did not respond to questions from The Times.
“California always honors our Marines — but this isn’t the right way to go about it,” said a Newsom spokesperson. “The White House should focus on paying their military, lowering grocery prices and honoring these soldiers for their service instead of pompous displays of power. The lack of coordination and communication from the federal government on this event — and the overall impact to our society and economy — is evident of the larger disarray that is the Trump Administration.”
Freeway closures are being considered for a section of I-5 between Orange County to San Diego County from Friday to Saturday, which would cut off a major traffic artery that moves upward of 80,000 travelers a day. A closure with little notice would likely result in massive gridlock from Dana Point in the north to well past Del Mar in the south.
Vance, the first Marine veteran to serve as vice president, is expected to attend the event Saturday along with 15,000 Marines, Sailors, veterans and their families, according to event’s media release. Along with Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to deliver remarks.
Camp Pendleton advised nearby residents that there will be live-fire training with high explosive munitions through Sunday, which will result in some roads on base being closed.
The Trump administration previously had plans for a major celebration next month for the 250th anniversary of the Navy and Marines, which would have included an air and sea show — with the Blue Angels and parading warships — attended by President Trump, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Plans to host that show in San Diego have been called off, the paper reported.
Camp Pendleton is a 125,000-acre base in northwestern San Diego County that has been critical in preparing soldiers for amphibious missions since World War II thanks to its miles of beach and coastal hills. The U.S. Department of Defense is considering making a portion of the base available for development or lease.
