A deadly big rig crash has halted traffic in southbound lanes of Interstate 5 in the Castaic area, just south of Kern County.
The crash was reported to California Highway Patrol dispatchers as a big rig with a trailer over the embankment near Castaic Lake just after 11:30 A.M. on Thursday.
A resident of Bakersfield was driving a white 2015 Lexus ES350, southbound on the I-5 freeway, south of the 2000 foot level, approaching a 2015 Peterbilt truck tractor pulling a fully loaded tanker with orange juice.
The big rig drifted to the right across all lanes of southbound I-5 freeway.
The driver of the Lexus drove her vehicle directly into the path of the big rig.
The driver of the big rig steered the vehicle to the right in an effort to avoid the collision and drove off the freeway and down the dirt embankment where it overturned on its side.
The male driver was pinned inside of the big rig.
Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) attempted life saving efforts to the driver, but the driver succumbed to his injuries on scene.
CHP officials said they returned to the area Friday to recover the big rig. The area is closed until further notice.
