CAJON PASS, CA — A tragic rollover accident in Cajon Pass along the I-15 freeway claimed the life of one driver Tuesday afternoon after a pickup truck overturned and landed upside down in a creek bed north of State Route 138.
According to reports from the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the crash occurred around 1:14 p.m. Witnesses said the vehicle was traveling at high speed before veering off the roadway and tumbling down an embankment.
San Bernardino County Fire Department personnel arrived and found the driver trapped and unresponsive inside the overturned truck. Using heavy rescue equipment to reach the cab, firefighters confirmed the driver had died at the scene. The coroner’s office was notified around 2:05 p.m.
A swift water rescue was initially requested but later canceled when crews determined there was no water inside the vehicle. Emergency teams accessed the site from a side road near the SR-138 onramp, and traffic in the area remained heavy during recovery operations.
This fatal crash was one of several reported Tuesday along the I-15 corridor, which runs through Cajon Pass, Hesperia, Victorville, and Highway 138, as wet and slick road conditions made driving hazardous.
Officials reported that multiple collisions in the region caused major injuries, and medical helicopters were unable to fly due to the weather, delaying the transport of trauma patients.
Earlier in the day, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and County Fire officials urged drivers to slow down and use caution as the first winter storm of the season moved through the area.
“Roadways can become dangerously slick as rain mixes with oil and debris,” authorities warned in a social media post.
The National Weather Service (NWS) also issued a Flash Flood Watch for the San Bernardino Mountains and surrounding foothills, including areas near Apple, El Dorado, and Bridge burn scars, warning that heavy rain could lead to flash flooding and debris flows throughout the afternoon.
The identity of the deceased driver will be released by the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office once the family has been notified.
The California Highway Patrol continues to investigate the cause of the crash.
