BARSTOW, Calif. (VVNG.com) — A 19-year-old Barstow man was killed and another driver was critically injured following a head-on crash that sparked a vehicle fire Tuesday afternoon in Barstow.
The collision happened on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at about 1:53 p.m. in the 800 block of West Main Street.
Officers from the Barstow Police Department, firefighters from the Barstow Fire Protection District, paramedics and emergency medical personnel from Desert Ambulance responded to reports of a traffic collision with injuries and a vehicle fire.
Initial reports indicated a gray Infiniti sedan and a tan Honda sedan were involved in a head-on crash, according to Barstow Police.
Before emergency personnel arrived, several Good Samaritans pulled an unconscious man from the gray Infiniti after it caught fire following the collision. The man was later identified as 19-year-old Jesus Avila.
Emergency medical personnel immediately rendered aid to Avila while firefighters extinguished the burning vehicle. The driver of the Honda sedan was also treated at the scene.
Avila was transported by ambulance to Barstow Community Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The driver of the Honda was airlifted to a trauma hospital in critical condition.
Barstow Police detectives responded to the scene and took over the investigation. Detectives and a crime scene technician processed the crash scene, resulting in the closure of both eastbound and westbound lanes of West Main Street for about seven hours.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
A fundraiser is also being held to help Avila’s family with funeral expenses. According to a flyer shared online, a car wash and kermés fundraiser is scheduled for July 3, 2026, in Lenwood. Admission is $5 and food and drinks will be provided, with proceeds going toward funeral costs and supporting the family during this difficult time.
Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact Detective Eric Santos at 760-255-5134 or by email at esantos@barstowca.gov. Those wishing to remain anonymous may submit information through WE-TIP by calling 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or online at wetip.com.
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