Jeep Accident Causes 9-Mile Traffic Jam

Weekend travelers and commuters encountered a traffic nightmare Friday after a Jeep towing a trailer overturned on the Conejo Grade during the afternoon rush hour, blocking all northbound lanes on the Ventura Freeway for two hours and causing a nine-mile backup.

The three occupants of the Jeep Cherokee, including an infant, were briefly trapped inside, but suffered only minor injuries, said Dave Webb, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.

The family had been heading north to Carpinteria for a camping trip when they were cut off by another driver as they approached the Camarillo Springs Road exit at about 3 p.m., authorities said. The Cherokee’s driver lost control and flipped over, authorities said.

The heavy weekend traffic was diverted onto the center divider or the right shoulder, but was still jammed back to the California 23 interchange until the accident was cleared about 5 p.m.