A single vehicle accident on Highway 18 near Crestline resulted in a four-hour closure of the route between Crestline and the City of San Bernardino on Friday afternoon and evening, given the severity of the accident which resulted in the death of the driver. Forty-six year-old Darrell Dykes of Carlsbad had been driving a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado, which left the roadway at the 4,000’ altitude marker, then tumbled about 200 feet down the mountainside and into the northbound lane of Highway 18 below. As a result, the Crestline area portion of Highway 18 was closed from 3pm to 7:15pm on July 10, while personnel from the U.S. Forest Service, the Crest Forest Fire District and CalFire assisted with the extrication of Dykes from the vehicle. Dykes was initially declared deceased by U.S. Forest Service personnel, and was subsequently identified by the San Bernardino County Coroner. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the collision, and asks witnesses to call 867-2791 with any information. The CHP also reminds all mountain drivers to proceed at a safe speed, as you never know what could be around the next corner.
