Two Big Rig Crashes on 5 Freeway in Sun Valley Leave 1 Dead, 6 Hospitalized

The first crash was reported at 11:06 a.m. in the northbound lanes of the 5 Freeway just south of Sheldon Street, the California Highway Patrol told City News Service. A pickup truck and a big rig were involved, and ABC7’s aerial footage showed the pickup partly beneath the back of the trailer.

One driver, a man, died at the scene, and another driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. All northbound lanes were shut while crews cleared the wreck, and traffic was diverted off the freeway with a backup reaching Glenoaks Boulevard. Neither the man who died nor the trucking company had been publicly identified that afternoon.

At about 12:15 p.m., a second collision involving five vehicles, one of them a big rig, was reported in a middle lane just north of the first scene near Osborne Street, as southbound traffic was also backed up, City News Service reported. Five people were taken to hospitals from that crash, and a SigAlert issued at 12:33 p.m. closed five lanes, leaving only the carpool lane and the far-left lane open.

Officials had not said whether the two crashes were connected, what caused either one or how badly the five people in the second crash were hurt as of October 14, 2026. The CHP is investigating both. So far, no driver or company has been blamed publicly; this page may be updated as the CHP releases more.

Relatives of a driver killed in a truck crash may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim, and our page on who has the right to file explains the order California follows. People who were hurt may have injury claims against any careless driver and, when a trucker was working, against the trucking company as well.

When a smaller vehicle ends up under the back of a trailer, investigators often look at the trailer’s rear impact guard, a bar that federal safety rules require on most semitrailers to help stop that from happening (49 CFR §393.86). They also review speed, lane changes, brake lights and the truck’s electronic records. Even a driver found partly responsible can recover under California’s comparative fault rule, with the award reduced by that share. Our California truck accident guide and our article on common big rig crash injuries go deeper.

Most suits must be filed within two years (Code Civ. Proc. §335.1), and our wrongful death deadline guide explains the details. A written claim against a public agency is generally due within six months (Gov. Code §911.2).

This information is a general overview and is not legal advice; your situation may differ, and consulting a legal professional can help you understand rights that may apply to you.

Wilshire Law Firm may be able to step in for the family of the man killed near Sheldon Street and for anyone injured in the later crash. Our Los Angeles truck accident lawyers work from our downtown Los Angeles office and handle fatal truck crashes and serious injuries throughout the San Fernando Valley.

Big rig cases move fast on the defense side. Trucking companies and their insurers often start their own investigations right away, so it helps to have someone asking early for the truck’s data, the driver’s logs and the CHP report. Whatever the hour, our legal team can look at what happened without charge, and there are no fees unless you get paid. See also our Los Angeles wrongful death attorneys, catastrophic injury lawyers and Los Angeles personal injury team.

A sudden death or a serious injury on the freeway leaves a family with more questions than answers. Our legal professionals can sit down with you, free, to go over the Sun Valley crashes or any other run-in with a commercial truck. We’re available 24/7, and there are no fees unless you get paid.

Contact Wilshire Law Firm today.