A major emergency response unfolded Sunday morning near the Lilac Road Bridge in Bonsall, California, after a person was reportedly seen climbing the bridge fence before falling onto Interstate 15.
The incident was first reported at approximately 9:46 a.m. Sunday, August 16, 2026, when a caller alerted authorities that someone appeared to be climbing the chain-link fencing on the bridge above I-15.
The California Highway Patrol responded and began establishing a traffic break on southbound I-15 near State Route 76. At approximately 9:50 a.m., the CHP incident log was updated to indicate that the person had reportedly jumped from the bridge.
Additional CHP units were dispatched to the bridge and the area below as emergency personnel responded. By approximately 9:54 a.m., authorities had stopped all southbound lanes of I-15 about one mile north of the bridge.
A distraught witness was also reported in a blue Ford Explorer that had pulled onto a dirt shoulder near the Old Highway 395 off-ramp.
By approximately 10:09 a.m., CHP indicated that the southbound freeway was expected to reopen.
The person’s identity, age and condition were not immediately available in the information reviewed. The available CHP incident information also did not establish whether the person survived.
The incident caused a significant emergency response but was not reported as a conventional vehicle collision. Authorities continued handling the scene while motorists were advised to exercise caution in the area.
Additional information about the incident and the person’s condition is expected as authorities release further details.