A two-vehicle crash on southbound Interstate 15 north of Baker early Sunday morning resulted in the transport of nine adults to regional hospitals, four of whom were flown by medical helicopter.
Crews from County Fire’s Baker Station 53 arrived at the scene shortly after 5 a.m. on June 22. The collision involved a Toyota minivan and a black Honda sedan.
Firefighters reported significant damage to both vehicles but confirmed that there were no fires or lengthy extrications required.
Emergency personnel determined that all nine people involved had moderate to severe injuries.
In total, four ground ambulances and three medical helicopters were used. The freeway was temporarily closed to allow helicopters to safely land on the roadway.
A fourth helicopter was later dispatched to meet a ground ambulance at a nearby hospital for further transportation.
Multiple agencies worked together to respond to the emergency, as is common in the remote region near Baker. A Hesperia-based ambulance, personnel from Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Desert Ambulance, and air units from Air Methods Corporation and Classic Air Medical provided medical support in addition to County Fire crews. Traffic control was handled by the California Highway Patrol’s Barstow division.
The freeway has since reopened for traffic.