A 17-mile stretch of the 5 Freeway was shut down Saturday because of a demonstration involving live ammunition in celebration of the U.S. Marine Corps 250th anniversary at Camp Pendleton, causing a major traffic gridlock.
The closure on both sides of the freeway was from Harbor Drive in Oceanside to Basilone Road near San Onofre, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Just minutes after the closure took effect at 11 a.m., the freeway began backing up with heavy traffic. It remained shut down for the better part of an hour, causing confusion among drivers who were in the area, before the freeway was opened…