Traffic piles up in La Jolla on northbound I-5 after a body is found on the freeway on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022.
The morning commute was brought to a crawl Thursday morning in La Jolla after a pedestrian was struck by multiple vehicles on northbound Interstate 5.
California Highway Patrol said in a statement at 5:51 a.m., a man who had walked on northbound Interstate 5 was struck by several cars just north of Mission Bay Drive.
He was initially hit by a black Mazda then struck by an "unknown number of other vehicles," the agency said.
The man died at the scene of his injuries.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
Several lanes of I-5 were shut down as a result of the investigation, snarling traffic in the morning. The lanes were reopened at 10:14 a.m.
It is unclear why the man wandered on the freeway or how he got there. CHP said investigators are working to determine if drugs or alcohol played a factor in the death.
The name of the deceased was not released.
Local
Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to contact CHP Officer D. Rhodes at (858) 293-6000.
The investigation is ongoing.
