A Oceanside Police Department motorcycle officer was injured after being struck by a car on Monday morning.
Police Chief Taurino Valdovinos confirmed that the officer was a member of the motorcycle escort for Vice President JD Vance. The crash happened after the escort was completed and the officer was returning to the station.
Vance was in Oceanside attending a wedding over the weekend and left on an aircraft from Camp Pendleton.
The accident was reported at 9:43 a.m. Monday on the Interstate 5 connector to eastbound state Route 76.
UPDATE: EB SR-76 at I-5, all lanes reopened to traffic. The EB & WB SR-76 on-ramps to NB I-5, and the NB I-5 off-ramp to WB SR-76/Coast Hwy have also reopened.
— Caltrans San Diego (@SDCaltrans) February 17, 2025
All lanes of the eastbound 76 freeway were blocked off at the I-5 connector, as well as the east and westbound onramps to the I-5 North and the northbound I-5 off-ramp to westbound SR-76 in the aftermath.
Valdovinos said the motorcycle officer was transported to a local hospital and released later in the day.
The driver of the car that struck the officer remained at the scene and cooperated with police.
Anyone with information about the crash was asked to contact Traffic Investigator Kevin Lissner at (760) 435-4651.
Updated at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 17, 2025
City News Service and OnScene.TV contributed to this report.
