A big rig hauling a load of watermelons overturned on northbound Interstate 5 just south of March Lane in Stockton on Thursday evening, setting off a six-vehicle crash that snarled traffic for hours during the height of rush hour. The wreck happened around 5:45 p.m., right as commuters were trying to get home.
Dash cam footage capturing the moment of impact was published by CBS News Sacramento, which reported that the truck rolled over on the freeway. The crash quickly became a mess for emergency crews and drivers alike, given the size of the wreckage and the number of vehicles caught up in it.
The overturned semi forced responders to shut down lanes 2 through 5 on northbound I-5 south of March Lane, according to ABC10. That closure led to major delays during the evening commute, with only a single lane left open to handle the crush of northbound traffic.
A Crash-Prone Corridor Through the Valley
The timing and location of the wreck line up with a troubling pattern for the region. California Highway Patrol collision records from 2014 through 2025 show that Thursday at 3 p.m. is the single most common time for traffic crashes in San Joaquin County, according to the UC Berkeley Transportation Injury Mapping System, cited by SafetyFirst. Thursday’s crash happened a couple hours later in the same high-risk window, on a stretch of freeway with its own grim distinction…