No injuries were reported.
Ordnance fired over the 5 Freeway at Saturday’s 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton prematurely detonated, striking and damaging a California Highway Patrol vehicle that was part of Vice President JD Vance’s detail, the CHP said Sunday.
The incident happened in the area where CHP officers were supporting a traffic break along Interstate 5, which had briefly been ordered closed by Caltrans during the live-fire exercise in a decision that became a political hot point, with Gov. Gavin Newsom criticizing the Trump administration for holding the display, and Newsom drawing criticism himself for the freeway closure.
“This was an unusual and concerning situation,” CHP Border Division Chief Tony Coronado said Sunday. “It is highly uncommon for any live-fire or explosive training activity to occur over an active freeway. As a Marine myself, I have tremendous respect for our military partners, but my foremost responsibility is ensuring the safety of the people of California and the officers who protect them.”
No injuries were reported.
CHP personnel immediately notified the Marine Corps at the scene, who then canceled firing additional live ordnance over the freeway, and the area was swept for further evaluation, the CHP said. The agency has filed an internal report on the incident, with a recommendation to conduct an additional after-action review into the planning, communication and coordination between federal, state, and local government around Saturday’s event, “to strengthen protocols for future demonstrations and training events near public roadways.”
A spokeswoman for the First Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton told the New York Times the Corps was aware of the report of a possible airborne detonation, and an investigation was underway.
