Street View of Highway 395 south of Seneca Road in Adelanto. Source: Google Maps.
KEY DETAILS
DATE & TIME
Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, about 8:40 p.m.
LOCATION
Highway 395 south of Seneca Road, Adelanto, CA
VICTIM
Mary F. Handford, 60, of Apple Valley, was pronounced dead at the scene. The Ford Mustang’s driver remained at the scene and cooperated
ROAD CLOSURES
Southbound Highway 395 closed at Seneca Road during the investigation
INVESTIGATION
Active — circumstances under investigation; no arrest, citation or finding of fault announced
A pedestrian was struck and killed Friday night on Highway 395 in Adelanto, according to Victor Valley News. The crash was reported at about 8:40 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, on Highway 395 south of Seneca Road, where emergency personnel found a Ford Mustang stopped in the southbound lanes and a pedestrian down in the roadway.
Updated August 24, 2026: The pedestrian has been identified as Mary F. Handford, a 60-year-old resident of Apple Valley, according to an update from Victor Valley News. The investigation remains ongoing.
As reported by Victor Valley News, the pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Mustang remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators; the car sustained visible damage to the passenger side of its windshield. Southbound Highway 395 was closed at Seneca Road while authorities investigated. The identity of the pedestrian and the circumstances leading up to the crash — including lighting, speed and where the pedestrian was crossing — had not been released as of this report, and no arrest, citation or finding of fault has been announced.
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Victor Valley News Group VVNG.com
@VVNews · Aug 22, 2026
Pedestrian Killed In Friday Night Crash On Highway 395 In Adelanto
California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 allows a surviving spouse, children and certain other family members to bring a wrongful death claim when a pedestrian is killed by the wrongful act or neglect of a driver. A wrongful death case is a civil claim that is separate from any criminal or traffic investigation, and it can proceed even when no citation is ever issued.
California Vehicle Code § 22350, the Basic Speed Law, requires drivers to travel no faster than is safe for conditions — including darkness, road width and the presence of people near the roadway. Even where a pedestrian was outside a crosswalk, California’s comparative fault rules allow a family to recover damages reduced by the pedestrian’s share of fault rather than barred entirely.
This summary is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its specific facts.
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