Slippery Spill Shuts Down 118 Connector

An unknown dark, oily substance spilled on the Ronald Reagan Freeway’s connector road to the southbound Golden State Freeway, causing an early-morning accident and the closure of the connector road from 6 a.m. to 2:55 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Crews with the California Department of Transportation used that time to steam-clean the slippery road surface, according to California Highway Patrol officials.

CHP officers said they did not know who or what was responsible for the spill, which probably occurred Monday night or early Tuesday morning and covered a 1,200-foot stretch of road.

CHP officers discovered the substance when they responded to the accident, which occurred at about 5:45 a.m. and involved a Ford Explorer that lost control and flipped onto its roof, said CHP Sgt. Marco Ruiz.

The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, a 48-year-old woman, was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries.