A busy stretch of State Highway 18 in Apple Valley turned into a deadly crash scene late Saturday, when a wrong-way driver set off a five-vehicle wreck that killed a 74-year-old man and sent at least two other people to area hospitals. The collision was reported at about 9:40 p.m., and eastbound lanes stayed shut for hours as firefighters, medics and investigators worked the scene. Deputies said a white pickup was traveling the wrong way and struck multiple vehicles.
What deputies say
According to a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Apple Valley station and reporting by CBS Los Angeles, deputies determined a white Nissan Frontier was headed westbound in the No. 1 eastbound lane toward Tao Road when it collided with four other vehicles. The driver of the Nissan was taken to a hospital with major injuries and later died, deputies said. Drivers of two other vehicles were also transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, and their conditions were not immediately available.
Closures and the scene
Local reporting from the Victor Valley News Group placed the crash near Mandan Road and described heavy damage across several vehicles, with at least three showing significant front-end or structural damage. Victor Valley News Group reported that eastbound traffic on Highway 18 was expected to remain closed for roughly three hours while crews cleared the wreckage and investigators documented the scene. Officials also blocked portions of Outer State Highway 18 South during the response.
Witnesses and next steps
Investigators are asking anyone who saw the collision or has information about it to contact Deputy T. Arlotti at the Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station at (760) 240-7400, CBS Los Angeles reported. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team is leading the investigation and has said the cause of the crash is still under review.
Investigation ongoing
Deputies have not said whether impairment, speed or mechanical issues might have contributed to the wreck, and they have not yet publicly identified the person who died. Local officials and law enforcement indicated that additional details will be released as they are confirmed, according to the Victor Valley News Group.
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