Big Rig Driver Killed In Crash On I-5 Near Downtown Sacramento

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- The California Highway Patrol tells CBS13 all lanes of Interstate 5 near J Street are back open after a big rig crash early Saturday morning.

Officials say a big rig, driven by a 60-year-old Citrus Heights man, crashed into the center median just passed the J Street off ramp just after 2:30 a.m. Saturday.

Investigators say for an unknown reason the man made a hard left turn across the lanes and struck the center median and also say there was no sign that the man attempted to brake. CHP tells us the driver of the big rig was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the truck and pronounced dead on scene.

Debris from the crash covered the northbound lanes and spilled over into the southbound lanes causing both sides to be shutdown for a period of time. CHP says the southbound lanes were cleaned and reopened shortly after the accident but northbound lanes didn't fully reopen till 7:45 a.m. Saturday.

CBS13 has learned that the big rig was carrying diesel at the time of the crash and local HAZMAT crews had to respond to cleanup the spill.

The cause of the accident and the identity of the driver have not yet been released.