Toyota Tacoma and Big Rig Collide on Highway 138 in Pinon Hills; One Airlifted
PINON HILLS, Calif. (VVNG.com) — A traffic collision involving a big rig and a pickup truck closed a stretch of Highway 138 early Sunday morning and left one driver critically injured.
According to the California Highway Patrol incident logs, the crash was reported at 5:24 a.m. on October 12, 2025, on State Route 138 near Wintergreen Road in the community of Pinon Hills.
The incident was initially detected through an iPhone traffic collision alert, prompting an immediate emergency response.
The crash involved a black Toyota Tacoma and a Freightliner tractor-trailer hauling a trailer loaded with produce.
According to radio traffic, firefighters with San Bernardino County Fire located one person trapped inside the pickup truck with critical injuries and requested an airship to land at the scene.
Crews worked quickly to extricate the trapped driver, who was then airlifted by Reach 13 helicopter to an out-of-area trauma center. As of this report, there is no update on the driver’s condition.
At approximately 6:00 a.m., both directions of Highway 138 were shut down to allow the airship to safely land, according to CHP logs. Fire crews worked to free the trapped motorist and secure the scene.
Based on the visible damage to both vehicles, the collision appeared to be a head-on or near head-on impact; however, the official cause and details of the crash remain under investigation by the California Highway Patrol Victorville Station.
The semi-truck, marked with “KLB & Sons,” came to rest off the shoulder with front-end and side damage, while the pickup sustained major front-end damage. CHP logs indicated the semi was hauling approximately 27,000 pounds of produce at the time of the crash.
By 7:54 a.m., Caltrans was notified, and eastbound lanes were reopened after debris was cleared. By 8:30 a.m., one westbound lane had also reopened.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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