Fatal 5-Vehicle Apple Valley Crash on Highway 18, Near Tao Road
APPLE VALLEY, Calif. (March 9, 2026) — One person is dead and two were injured in a five-vehicle Apple Valley crash on Saturday night that shut down eastbound Highway 18 for several hours, just west of Tao Road.
The deadly crash occurred at around 9:40 p.m., on March 7, 2026, near Mile Marker 92.5, police said.
The Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station sent deputies and crews from the Apple Valley Fire Protection District and American Medical Response to the highway to help those involved.
According to the Apple Valley Police Department, there were five vehicles involved including a white Nissan Frontier, a white Dodge Durango, a white Honda Accord, a white Honda Civic, and a silver Honda Civic.
Investigators determined a 74-year-old Santa Ana man driving the white Nissan Frontier “traveled westbound in the number one eastbound lane of State Highway 18 toward Tao Road,” causing the collision with the other motorists.
This driver was transported to a hospital with major injuries and later died. His identity has not been released.
Meanwhile, paramedics assessed the condition of the other motorists including Slade McGinn, 28, of Apple Valley, who was driving the Dodge Durango; Bry Reed, 23, of Apple Valley, the driver of the Honda Accord; driver Charlynda Graves, 46, of Adelanto, from the Honda Civic; and driver Elizabeth Cain, 22, of Apple Valley, from the silver Honda Civic.
Two of these drivers were taken to a local hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries.
Finally, detectives with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Major Accident Investigative Team (M.A.I.T.) are handling the investigation.
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