Pedestrian Killed While Helping Dog on Apple Valley Roadway

APPLE VALLEY, CA – An 86-year-old pedestrian was killed after she entered Waalew Road to help her dog, which had already been struck by a vehicle, authorities said. The fatal collision occurred shortly before 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, in Apple Valley.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, we’d like to speak with you. Our accident attorneys are available for a free and confidential consultation, 24/7.

Crash on Waalew Road

San Bernardino County sheriff’s officials said deputies were dispatched at about 7:55 p.m. to Waalew Road west of Dale Evans Parkway. Their preliminary investigation found that the pedestrian was in the roadway trying to reach her dog when a Nissan Murano struck her. She suffered critical injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Murano’s driver, a 70-year-old Apple Valley woman, remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Detectives later determined that drugs and alcohol were not factors. The road remained closed for about four hours while deputies documented the scene and investigated the circumstances of the collision.

Witness Account Described Two Impacts

A separate witness account placed the crash near Corwin Road, across from Los Ranchos Mobile Home Park. The witness said the pedestrian was bent near her dog in a dark section of the roadway when an eastbound vehicle struck her. The witness also described a second impact involving a westbound truck and said both drivers stopped.

That account added details that were not included in the Sheriff’s Department’s preliminary description, which identified the Murano but did not discuss a second vehicle. The difference remained unresolved in the published information. It was therefore unclear whether investigators had confirmed two impacts or how each reported contact contributed to the fatal injuries.

The two accounts agreed on the central sequence: the dog was struck first, the pedestrian then went into the roadway, and at least one driver hit her. The witness described the area as completely dark at the time. Officials had not said whether street lighting, vehicle speed, visibility, lane position or any roadway condition played a role.

For the pedestrian’s family, any potential wrongful-death claim would turn on the conduct of the involved drivers and the evidence gathered during the closure. The available reporting identified at least one motorist and indicated that each driver described by the witness stopped, leaving investigators able to obtain statements and vehicle information. No finding of negligence or criminal wrongdoing had been announced.

Sheriff’s officials asked anyone with information about the collision to contact the Apple Valley station. The department’s preliminary findings ruled out impairment but did not provide a final reconstruction or explain the conflicting descriptions of how many vehicles struck the pedestrian.