NEWBERRY SPRINGS, CA — A major two-vehicle crash on Interstate 15 left one person dead and four others injured Sunday afternoon, forcing the freeway to close in both directions in Newberry Springs.
Three of the injured were airlifted to trauma centers after emergency crews responded to the scene south of Harvard Road.
Crash reported just after noon on northbound Interstate 15
Dispatchers received the report around 12:10 p.m. on July 5, 2026, on northbound Interstate 15 south of Harvard Road.
Radio traffic suggested the collision may have involved a Toyota and a hatchback. Both vehicles came to rest in the center divider, and debris was spread across the roadway.
Trapped occupant later confirmed dead at the scene
Emergency responders first received an iPhone crash detection alert with no response from the occupants.
Logs later indicated one person was trapped inside a silver Nissan hatchback with the doors pinned shut. Fire department radio traffic later confirmed that occupant had died and needed extrication.
No gender information was immediately available, and the person’s identity has not been released pending notification of next of kin.
Two critical patients flown to Loma Linda and a third transfer arranged
Fire officials requested two air ambulances after determining that two patients had critical injuries. Mercy Air 66 and Reach 43 landed on Interstate 15 so the patients could be loaded directly from the freeway.
Officials said those two critically injured patients were flown to Loma Linda University Medical Center. A third Mercy Air helicopter was later sent to Barstow Community Hospital to pick up another patient after a ground ambulance arrival.
Freeway closure caused long holiday traffic backups
Interstate 15 remained closed in both directions Sunday afternoon while crews handled the medical response and investigators processed the scene.
The shutdown created backups for several miles in both directions and added to already heavy traffic as motorists returned from Las Vegas after the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The California Highway Patrol issued a SIG Alert shortly before 12:45 p.m. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
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