On the morning of Friday, October 30, 2026, a Caltrans truck rolled over on Highway 18 between Lucerne Valley and Big Bear, several miles from the Mitsubishi Cement plant. Two occupants were reportedly seriously hurt with head lacerations, and one was allegedly trapped inside the vehicle until help arrived. San Bernardino County Fire requested two medical helicopters to fly the injured to a hospital. The California Highway Patrol’s Arrowhead office is handling the investigation.
According to Victor Valley News (VVNG), the crash was reported at about 8:12 a.m. and CHP closed Highway 18 in both directions at mile marker 64.00, citing a crash involving hazardous materials and serious injuries. VVNG reported that CHP logs described both occupants as awake and breathing, and that the cause had not been released. Pain In The Pass separately reported that the truck was a Caltrans paint striper that allegedly lost its brakes and went down an embankment, with both victims flown to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs; that account of the cause is unconfirmed by authorities.
