Apple Valley crash kills mother and two children, driver charged with manslaughter

A three‑vehicle collision occurred on July 29, 2026, at the intersection of Apple Valley Road and Yucca Loma Road in Apple Valley, California. Hendrix Arcadio Collado, a 43‑year‑old man from Hesperia, was driving a 2015 Dodge Caravan northbound and failed to stop for a red light. His vehicle struck a 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan traveling eastbound, which then forced a 2019 Toyota Highlander into the lane.

The Tiguan carried 39‑year‑old Theodora “Tedi” Wilson and her children, 7‑year‑old Rose Valenzuela and 6‑year‑old Felix Valenzuela. All three died at the scene. The driver of the Dodge and occupants of the Highlander sustained injuries. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is investigating, noting that drugs or alcohol may have been a factor.

Collado was arrested at the scene and later charged with three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, two counts of reckless driving causing great bodily injury, and a great bodily injury enhancement. His bail was set at $250,000, and a video hearing is scheduled for August 5, 2026. The victims’ family, including Wilson’s husband and their surviving daughter, remain in critical condition. Felix Valenzuela, the father, said, “They killed three people in my family.”