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RIALTO, San Bernardino County, Calif., Sept. 29, 2026 — Two vehicles collided on Monday afternoon, September 28, on westbound Interstate 10 at the Riverside Avenue exit in Rialto, according to the California Highway Patrol. At least one person reportedly struck their head and requested medical attention at the scene.
The collision involved a gray BMW M5 and a white Kia Soul. Someone at the scene radioed that a person had hit their head and asked for paramedics right away, though the extent of the injury has not been released.
Rialto police officers arrived at the crash and treated it as a traffic collision. The CHP had initially logged the call as a collision with unknown injuries before updating it to reflect a report of injuries and an ambulance en route.
A tow truck was requested to clear the vehicles, and coordination between agencies was required to manage traffic in the area. It is not known whether the westbound lanes were fully blocked or how long the closure lasted.
No further details on the drivers, potential citations, or the cause of the crash have been released. The investigation remains active.
We hope those who were hurt recover fully and quickly.
How Investigators Piece Together a Freeway Crash Like This
When a crash happens at a busy freeway interchange, the first job for officers is not to figure out who was at fault. It is making the scene safe: directing traffic, checking on the people involved, and getting medical help moving if someone is hurt. Only after that does the investigative work begin.
Reconstructing what happened often means measuring skid marks, photographing vehicle damage and final rest positions, and pulling data from onboard systems if the vehicles have them. Investigators may also look for dashcam or nearby traffic camera footage. None of this happens instantly, and a preliminary account logged at the scene can change once officers review the full picture.
That is also why agencies are cautious about releasing names or confirmed causes right away. Medical conditions can be updated, next of kin need to be notified before identities go public, and any toxicology testing tied to a serious injury case can take weeks to come back from a lab. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 17,008 motor-vehicle crash deaths occurred outside passenger vehicles in crashes involving passenger vehicles in 2023, underscoring how much data goes into even routine-looking crash reports before they're finalized.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is distracted driving considered so risky on freeways?
At highway speeds, even a couple of seconds looking away from the road can cover the length of a football field. That leaves very little time to react if traffic ahead slows or a vehicle changes lanes unexpectedly.
How do road and weather conditions play into crashes like this one?
Wet pavement, glare, or heavy traffic near freeway interchanges can all reduce a driver's ability to stop safely or judge gaps between vehicles, especially where lanes are merging or exiting.
What should someone do right after a car accident?
Check for injuries, call 911 if anyone needs help, move to a safe spot if possible, and exchange information with the other driver. Photos of the scene and vehicle positions can help later if there are questions about how the crash happened.
Where do most traffic accidents happen?
A large share of crashes occur near intersections, exit ramps, and merge points, places where vehicles are changing speed or direction and drivers have less time to adjust.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Rialto, CA
If you're involved in or witness a crash in Rialto, start by making sure everyone is safe and out of the path of traffic, if possible. Call 911 for any injury, even one that seems minor at first, since some symptoms, such as those from head injuries, can take time to appear.
Get checked out by a medical professional even if you feel fine at the scene. Adrenaline can mask pain, and a doctor's evaluation creates a record that can matter later. Keep any paperwork from police or medical providers, and follow up with your insurance company promptly to start the claims process.
