Photo credit: CHPCALIFORNIA — California Highway Patrol (CHP) announced that a patrol vehicle was struck by metal shrapnel from an artillery round fired during a U.S. Marine Corps live-fire training exercise over Interstate 5 near Camp Pendleton on October 18.
The round detonated prematurely mid-flight, sending debris onto the freeway.
CHP Border Division Chief Tony Coronado said this was an unusual and concerning situation.
“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,” Coronado said.
The CHP had established a traffic break along I-5 to ensure public safety during the exceptional training demonstration.
No injuries reported
Although no injuries were reported, CHP immediately alerted the Marine Corps, which halted further firing and cleared the area for evaluation.
In response to the incident, the CHP filed an internal report recommending a comprehensive after-action review.
The review aims to assess and improve planning, communication, and coordination between federal, state, and local agencies for future live-fire exercises over civilian infrastructure.
The CHP’s mission remains to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security to all Californians.
For more information, refer to the official CHP report at https://www.chp.ca.gov/news-alerts/news-list/chp-produces-incident-report-after-artillery-round-from-camp-pendleton-prematurely-detonated-midflight-with–debris-striking-patrol-vehicle/
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