Artillery Fire During Vance Visit Prompts Highway Closure, Sparks Dispute with California Governor
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – A planned artillery exercise conducted during a visit by Vice President J.D. vance to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton led to the closure of a 17-mile stretch of Interstate 5 in Southern California on Saturday, causing important traffic delays and prompting a sharp rebuke from Governor Gavin Newsom. The incident has ignited a debate over the balance between military training and public safety, and also the transparency surrounding the event.
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) ultimately decided to close the freeway following practice firings Friday evening and a request from event organizers for signage warning of “overhead fire in progress.” The closure, impacting a major transportation corridor between San Diego and Los angeles, affected an estimated 80,000 travelers and $94 million in daily freight traffic, according to the governor’s office.Passenger rail services running parallel to the I-5 were also canceled for the afternoon.
“This is all because of the White House-directed military event, that for the safety of the public, we need to shut down the freeway since they’re sending live ordinances over the freeway,” Caltrans spokesperson Matt Rocco said.
U.S. Marines Capt. Gregory Dreibelbis defended the exercise, stating in a statement that artillery fire occurs nearly every week at the base and that the drills did not endanger motorists. “Weeks of intentional planning and rehearsals ensured success at every phase of execution,” Dreibelbis said.
However, a spokesperson for Vance, William Martin, accused Newsom of misleading the public regarding the safety risk. “If Gavin Newsom wants to oppose the training exercises that ensure our Armed Forces are the deadliest and most lethal fighting force in the world, then he can go right ahead,” Martin stated to The New York times.
The I-5 closure potentially added up to two hours to commutes between San Diego and Los Angeles. No mishaps were reported in connection with the artillery fire.
