A tragic collision between a motorcycle and a van in Apple Valley Saturday evening has left one man dead and several others, including a child, seriously injured. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, the crash occurred around 6:11 p.m. at the intersection of State Highway 18 and Quinnault Road.
The fatal incident involved a red Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle, driven by 39-year-old Matthew Hicks of Apple Valley, and a white Toyota Sienna, operated by 36-year-old Brian Hume, also an Apple Valley resident, deputies responded to the scene, and rescue personnel from the Apple Valley Fire Department and American Medical Response were quickly on site to assist. The motorcycle reportedly broadsided the van as it was making a left turn onto the highway leading to significant injuries and a tragic fatality.
In a statement obtained by Nixle, it was revealed that Hicks was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Meanwhile, all six occupants of the van, which included at least one juvenile, were also taken to various local hospitals with one child being flown to a trauma center due to the severity of their condition.
Investigators from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Major Accident Investigation Team (M.A.I.T) arrived at the accident site to take charge of the situation, shutting down State Highway 18 for around three hours between Central Road and Navajo Road to gather evidence and conduct interviews as part of their ongoing investigation into the exact cause of the crash, according to Deputy G. Dominguez who is leading the investigative efforts.
The authorities are encouraging anyone with information or who may have witnessed the collision to come forward and contact Deputy G. Dominguez or Deputy T. Arlotti at the Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station at (760) 240-7400, or to reach out to Sheriff's Dispatch at (760) 956-5001. For those wishing to remain anonymous, tips can be submitted by calling the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463), or online via the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.
