The boy’s father, who was supervising him, was arrested after the crash that happened around 8:22 p.m. on August 6, 2026, in the 21000 block of Outer Highway 18.
Apple Valley, CA – A 7-year-old boy was hospitalized with critical injuries after he was hit by a car while riding a scooter Thursday evening in Apple Valley.
The boy’s father, who was supervising him, was arrested after the crash that happened around 8:22 p.m. on August 6, 2026, in the 21000 block of Outer Highway 18.
According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department – Apple Valley Station, the boy was riding a scooter while under the supervision of his father, 29-year-old Juan Mendoza. As the boy was traveling southeast on the roadway, he was struck by a car.
Emergency personnel transported the juvenile to the hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.
Officers established that the boy’s father was under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident. Mendoza was arrested and booked into jail for child cruelty causing great bodily injury or death.
The driver of the car remained at the scene after the collision and cooperated with authorities.
The sheriff’s department’s Apple Valley Station is investigating the accident.