By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
Mountain area highways are often prone to accidents due to their steepness and sharp curves which can pose a challenge for some inexperienced or intoxicated drivers. However, what emergency responders refer to as mass casualty incidents, for one reason or another, have become more commonplace on State Routes (SR) 18 and 330 in the vicinity of Crestline, Running Springs and Big Bear.
Around 4:00 p.m. on Aug. 1, 2025, a female driver speeding uphill on Highway 330 near 1N09 in the vicinity of Running Springs lost control of her vehicle, landed on a berm several hundred yards off the road and burst into flames. According to a CHP report, the driver escaped the burning vehicle uninjured. Upon completion of a field sobriety test, the woman was arrested for suspicion of DUI.
Another incident on Monday, Aug. 18 proved fatal when a Harley-Davidson motorcycle ridden by William Brandt, 47, of Fawnskin collided with a Volkswagen SUV driven by Sabrina Kearns, 35, of San Diego, just east of the Big Bear Dam bridge on Highway 18. Brandt suffered major injuries when he was ejected from his motorcycle. The sedan burst into flames. CPR was performed on the motorcyclist, who was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Kearns was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence (DUI).
More recently, on Sunday, Nov. 9, a bus transporting 36 persons, mostly teens returning from a church youth retreat, overturned on Highway 330, injuring many passengers but caused no fatalities. However, 20 persons were transported to a hospital with three suffering severe injuries.
A few days later, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, a woman was rescued and airlifted to a trauma center after her vehicle left the roadway and plunged 200 feet down a steep, rocky embankment on Highway 18 between Running Springs and Big Bear. An emergency crew from San Bernardino County Fire and Big Bear Fire Department discovered that a vehicle went over the side with a solo occupant trapped inside. Emergency personnel performed a technical rope rescue to safely haul the woman back up to the roadway. She was subsequently transported by ground to an awaiting helicopter and flown a regional trauma center. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the collision.
A fatal accident was reported on Wednesday, Nov. 12 when a driver lost control of her vehicle and plunged off a cliff on Highway 18, near Crestline. The crash follows a recent surge in accidents on Highway 18. According to CHP spokesman Jacob Griede, eyewitnesses reported that they saw the woman accelerate her vehicle as she approached the curve. The incident is currently under investigation.
Two days later, an unidentified motorcyclist was reportedly killed on the same stretch of highway.
Officer Griede cautions motorists to drive slowly and with caution during periods of rain and or snow. “Be patient, leave early and carry blankets, warm clothing, emergency first aid supplies and extra water and snacks when driving in winter weather,” said Griede.
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