According to a preliminary investigation, a 21-year-old Victorville man was driving a grey 2015 Nissan Altima in the No. 2 eastbound lane when he struck a pedestrian in the roadway
Apple Valley, CA – A 37-year-old pedestrian was hit and killed by a vehicle on Highway 18 in Apple Valley on Sunday night, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
The incident was reported at around 10:54 p.m. January 18, on the eastbound side of the highway near Apple Valley Road.
According to a preliminary investigation, a 21-year-old Victorville man was driving a grey 2015 Nissan Altima in the No. 2 eastbound lane when he struck a pedestrian in the roadway.
The Apple Valley Sheriff's Station, Apple Valley Fire Protection District, and American Medical Response crews responded to the scene of the crash.
The pedestrian was declared deceased at the scene by the medical personnel. Authorities identified the victim as Hughie J. Sheppard, 37.
The Nissan driver stayed at the scene and was not suspected to have been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The eastbound lanes of Highway 18 were shut down for over six hours as the Major Accident Investigative Team processed the scene.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the crash is asked to contact the Apple Valley Sheriff's Station at (760) 956-5001.
In 2023, Apple Valley recorded 297 total fatal and injury collisions, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), up from 275 in 2022, indicating a slight increase in serious crashes year-over-year. These figures include all collisions where at least one person was killed or injured and reflect ongoing traffic safety concerns in this San Bernardino County community. Alcohol-involved collisions were 31 in 2023, a modest decrease from 36 in 2022, while motorcycle-related injuries or deaths remained fairly consistent with 29 in 2023. Pedestrian-involved collisions numbered 13 in 2023, down from 18 in 2022, and bicyclist incidents were low at 2. Among the serious collisions, speed-related crashes were 41, and nighttime (9 pm–3 am) crashes were 23 in 2023, both lower than the prior year. The number of hit-and-run collisions fell sharply to 4 in 2023, and DUI arrests decreased to 29, suggesting some progress in enforcement.
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