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In a recent report released by the California Highway Patrol (CHP), fresh insights have emerged regarding the live-fire incident involving a patrol vehicle near Camp Pendleton. This occurred during Vice President JD Vance’s visit for the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary celebrations.
The report details the incident, which took place at 1:46 p.m. An artillery round, measuring 155 mm, was fired from White’s Beach, located approximately three-quarters of a mile south of Las Pulgas Road. The round reportedly exploded midair over Interstate 5.
At the time, the CHP had temporarily closed a section of the freeway to facilitate the event, when debris began raining down from the sky.
“The explosion resulted in small metal fragments falling onto the closed section of the freeway,” the report explained. “One such fragment hit the hood of a CHP patrol vehicle, leaving a minor dent and scratch.”
Images from the scene depict the metal shrapnel from the Marine Corps’ live-fire exercise on the hood of the CHP vehicle. (California Highway Patrol)
CHP Officers Felix and Vizcarra reported hearing what sounded like “pebbles falling” as fragments landed around them.
No injuries were reported, but investigators recovered two pieces of shrapnel measuring approximately one to two inches long.
Metal shrapnel from Marine Corps live-fire training struck a California Highway Patrol vehicle on Saturday. (California Highway Patrol)
At approximately 1:55 p.m., CHP Sgts. Maxson and Iniguez conducted safety sweeps of the north and southbound lanes but “found no additional shrapnel, debris, or hazards.”
The freeway has since been reopened, according to the report.
Shrapnel on CHP vehicle (California Highway Patrol)
The Border Division called the incident an “unusual and concerning situation” and urged a formal after-action review “to strengthen communication and coordination between federal, state, and local partners during future demonstrations or training events near public roadways.”
Camp Pendleton officials have announced they will conduct an investigation into what they called a “possible airborne detonation of a 155 mm artillery round outside the designated impact area.”
