Driver Killed After Big Rig Crashes Through Center Divide

THORNTON (CBS13) – A driver has died at the scene of a crash that closed Interstate 5 in Thornton for most of the early morning Friday.

All southbound lanes of I-5 were reopened around 6 a.m. California Highway Patrol officials said that the crash began when a car traveling in the northbound lanes of I-5 collided with a big rig.

The big rig then crashed through the center divide, hit two other cars and then landed across all southbound lanes.

The wrong-way driver died at the scene, CHP says.

Crews had to clean up 30 feet of oil and other fluids from the big rig before the freeway was reopened. The big rig is said to have taken out 40 feet of guardrail in the crash.