A big rig that crashed an overpass on the southbound 215 Freeway in Perris on Tuesday morning prompted authorities to shut down all lanes of the interstate -- a closure that could last 24 hours.
The closure may last up to 24 hours, according to a 9:45 a.m. update on the California Highway Patrol’s online incident reporting system.
CHP initially said a vehicle overturned near the D Street exit (map) at 7:30 a.m., hitting a bridge that was then “compromised." But Caltrans District 8 later clarified that a big rig truck had collided with construction work on the Perris Boulevard overpass, which was under construction.
The collision caused a worker on top of the bridge to be hospitalized with minor injuries, according to a news release from CHP. The agency said the commercial vehicle that hit the bridge was carrying an oversized load.
The driver failed to follow instructions on his oversized load permit, which instructed him to exit on Nuevo Road, according to a news release from CHP. Driver Misael Martin Marrero, 52, of Fontana, was cited for violating the terms of the permit.
Aerial video showed the truck had hit a wooden frame for lanes on the overpass. Caltrans said that "false work" would have to be removed and rebuilt.
The freeway was closed from Nuevo Road to Perris Boulevard, and traffic was backed up for miles.
Traffic was being re-rerouted off at West Nuevo Road through surface streets in Perris.
Vheicles were being taken from Nuevo Road, south along North A Street, west along Fourth Street, then back to the southbound 215 Freeway.
Caltrans said State Route 74 (the Ramona Expressway) was an alternate from 15 Freeway in Corona.
The collision is still under investigation, CHP said.
View 215 Freeway Shutdown in a larger map
More Southern California Stories:
- Firefighters Memorial: "It's Going to Be a Rough Day"
- Teacher Faces Arraignment on 41 Sex Charges
- Chantal Moving Between Martinique and St. Lucia
- Dry Cleaner Drone Delivers Your Clothes
- Flight Simulator Gives Cockpit View of Crash
- Crash Survivors Reunited With Families
- Store Owner Shot, Killed In Front of Shop: Police
- Dodgers Win Opener In AZ, Greinke Dominates