Metal shrapnel from an exploding artillery shell hit a California Highway Patrol vehicle as personnel at a U.S. Marine Corps base fired live rounds over a highway — against the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom — during weekend exercises observed by Vice President JD Vance, state authorities said Sunday. No one was injured.
The incident occurred when ordnance detonated overhead prematurely during Saturday's exercise at Camp Pendleton, the cops said in a news release.
Newsom had strongly objected to the firing of munitions over Interstate 5 for safety reasons. The Democrat closed a 17-mile stretch of the road connecting Los Angeles and San Diego during the drills, which were held to mark the upcoming 250th birthday of the Marines.
The incident occurred in an area where officers had shut down traffic, the highway patrol said.
A Marine spokesperson said the service was aware of "a possible airborne detonation" of a 155 mm artillery round outside the exercise's designated impact area.
"Following established safety protocols, firing was suspended. No injuries occurred, and the demonstration concluded as scheduled," Capt. Gregory Dreibelbis of the First Marine Expeditionary Force said in an emailed statement.
An investigation has been initiated, he said.
"We are committed to determining the incident's root cause and applying findings to future missions," Dreibelbis said.
The Marines had said there was nothing unsafe about the exercise and that it was unnecessary to disrupt traffic on I-5.
An incident report filed by the highway patrol said one officer heard what sounded like pebbles falling on his motorcycle and about 3 feet around him. His motorcycle was not damaged.
One unoccupied patrol vehicle was hit by shrapnel. Officers found a 2 inch-by-0.5 inch (5 cm-by-1.3 cm) piece of shrapnel on the vehicle. It left a small dent and scratch on the vehicle's hood.
Officers said they notified the Marine Corps, which then canceled the firing of additional live ordnance over the freeway. Officers didn't find any additional metal on freeway lanes and reopened the road.
Newsom posted Sunday on X, "We love our Marines and owe a debt of gratitude to Camp Pendleton, but next time, the Vice President and the White House shouldn't be so reckless with people's lives for their vanity projects."
Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the base in north San Diego County for the Nov. 10 anniversary of the Marine Corps' founding and to watch troops demonstrate a beach assault. Vance spent four years in the Marines and served a tour in Iraq.
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