Tina Marie Valdez Arrested in Apple Valley Hit-and-Run Crash

APPLE VALLEY, CA – Four people were hospitalized Thursday night after a Dodge Charger entered Bear Valley Road from a parking lot and collided with a Nissan Sentra in Apple Valley. Deputies later located and arrested the Charger driver after authorities said she left without providing information or aid.

The collision was reported at about 11:46 p.m. Nov. 5 east of Kiowa Road. Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies responded with personnel from the Apple Valley Fire Protection District and ConFire.

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Tina Marie Valdez’s Hit and Run Crash Details

A silver Nissan Sentra was traveling west in the No. 1 lane of Bear Valley Road. Investigators said a gray Dodge Charger left the parking lot at 20920 Bear Valley Road and entered directly into the Nissan’s path, causing the two vehicles to collide.

All four people involved were injured and transported to local hospitals. The sheriff-based account described the injuries as ranging from minor to severe but did not match a specific condition to any occupant.

Three Apple Valley Victims Identified by Age

Authorities identified three victims as a 19-year-old woman, an 18-year-old male passenger and a 53-year-old male passenger, all from Apple Valley. Their names were not released. The account did not specify whether the 19-year-old woman was driving the Nissan or identify the fourth injured person by age or seating position.

Deputies identified the Charger driver as Tina Marie Valdez, 33, of Apple Valley. They said she left the scene after the crash. Officers later located her and arrested her on suspicion of felony hit-and-run involving injury. The arrest did not establish civil or criminal liability for the collision.

Because Valdez was located after the crash, investigators were able to identify the suspected fleeing driver rather than leaving the case dependent on a vehicle description or an unknown motorist. The department did not state how far she traveled or where deputies found her.

Major Accident Team Investigated

An investigator from the sheriff’s Major Accident Investigation Team responded. Bear Valley Road and the Bear Valley Outer Highway South were closed between Kiowa and Multnomah roads for about five hours while investigators documented the vehicles, collected evidence and spoke with witnesses.

The preliminary account placed the Charger entering from the parking lot before the impact, but officials had not released vehicle speeds or a final collision analysis. The latest update confirmed that the suspected fleeing driver had been found, while the injured occupants’ later medical conditions remained undisclosed after their transport from Bear Valley Road to nearby local hospitals for further treatment.