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ESCONDIDO, San Diego County, Calif., Nov. 2, 2026 — Three vehicles collided on westbound State Route 78 near the Nordahl Road off-ramp on Sunday morning, November 1. The crash left lanes blocked and at least one person reporting injuries.
The California Highway Patrol said a white Jeep Wrangler and a black sedan were among the vehicles involved, with a third vehicle also caught up in the collision. A person who called in the crash was reportedly riding in the Jeep. The agency's log noted an automated crash alert from vehicle telematics had flagged a possible crash near the southbound I-15 connector to Nordahl Road around the same time, though it is unclear if that alert was tied to this collision or a separate one nearby.
Units responded to find three vehicles blocking lanes on the westbound side of SR-78 at Nordahl Road. A fire unit was dispatched to the scene, and the call was later reclassified from a collision with injuries of unknown severity to one with at least one person needing extrication or facing a more urgent medical response. The exact number of people hurt and the extent of their injuries have not been released.
The crash remains under investigation. Authorities have not said what caused the vehicles to collide or whether speed or impairment played a role.
We wish the injured a complete and speedy recovery.
Intersection Crashes in California
This multi-vehicle crash happened at SR-78 and Nordahl Road in Escondido, CA. We follow crashes at intersections across California, and our California intersections page brings that information together in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes multi-vehicle crashes hard to investigate?
Investigators typically have to reconstruct the order in which vehicles struck each other, which can be difficult when there are multiple points of impact and several drivers with differing accounts.
What usually causes multi-vehicle pile-ups?
These crashes commonly start with one vehicle slowing, stopping, or losing control, then trailing vehicles are unable to stop in time, especially in heavy traffic or near highway interchanges and off-ramps.
How do chain-reaction crashes develop on highways?
A single collision or sudden slowdown near an off-ramp or merge point can trigger a chain reaction as following vehicles react late, frequently turning a two-vehicle incident into a multi-vehicle one.
What should someone do after being involved in a multi-vehicle crash?
Drivers should move to a safe location if possible, check for injuries, call 911, and wait for CHP or local authorities to document the scene before vehicles are moved, if it's safe to leave them in place.
