A red Chevrolet Equinox left Bear Valley Road and barreled into Hi Desert Liquor II on Wednesday afternoon, tearing through protective barriers and striking a cage of propane tanks before coming to rest inside the damaged building. The female driver was taken to a local hospital as a precaution, while a 2-year-old passenger riding inside the SUV walked away unharmed.
The crash was reported at approximately 2:27 p.m. on October 7 in the 22020 block of Bear Valley Road, according to VVNG. Preliminary information indicated the SUV was traveling eastbound on Bear Valley Road when, for reasons that remain unknown, it left the roadway entirely before plowing into the liquor store.
Propane Cage and Protective Pipes Took the Brunt
The Equinox knocked over several concrete-filled pipes that had been installed outside the store specifically to shield the building from exactly this kind of impact. It didn't stop there — the SUV also crashed into a cage holding propane fuel tanks before striking the structure itself, leaving what the outlet's report describes as moderate damage to the building.
Despite the force of the collision, the outcome for the vehicle's occupants could have been far worse. The 2-year-old passenger inside the SUV at the time was not injured, even as the driver was transported to the hospital as a precautionary measure following the impact.
The toddler’s escape from injury comes amid legal and safety rules focused on protecting young passengers: California law requires children younger than 2 to ride rear-facing, unless they weigh at least 40 pounds or are at least 40 inches tall, and children under 8 to ride in a car seat or booster in the back seat. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says correctly used child restraints reduce fatal-injury risk for toddlers by 54% in passenger cars.
Investigation Continues, No Signs of Impairment
Authorities said drugs and alcohol did not appear to be factors in the crash at this time, per the same report. The Apple Valley Police Department is continuing to investigate exactly what caused the SUV to leave Bear Valley Road in the first place, a question that remains unanswered as the probe moves forward.
The crash occurred in a community with a substantial number of injury collisions: California’s 2023 traffic-safety data records 297 people killed or injured in Apple Valley, including 41 in speed-related fatal or injury collisions. Those figures cover the year and the town overall; they do not establish what caused Wednesday’s crash or indicate that speed was a factor in it. The state cautions that its rankings are comparisons among cities, not explanations of individual crashes.
