Published: September 27, 2026
By: Yaghmai Law Firm, APC
(Simi Valley, CA) – A firefighter was taken to a hospital early Sunday after a vehicle drove past a freeway blockade and collided with a Ventura County fire engine on the 118 Freeway in Simi Valley, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The CHP reported that the crash occurred a little after 2:30 a.m. on the 118 Freeway at Tapo Canyon Road. Officers and firefighters were already at that location, where they had been looking into an earlier collision involving a wrong-way driver when the second crash happened.
Authorities said emergency personnel had set up a blockade at the scene. According to the CHP, the driver of a red Tesla went through that blockade and struck both a Ventura County fire engine and a firefighter.
The injured firefighter was transported to a hospital. The CHP did not disclose the firefighter's condition, but described the injury as major. The agency said the Tesla driver was taken into custody and that no foul play was suspected.
Know Your Rights After a Crash
After a serious crash, California law gives injured people and families limited time to act. Evidence like vehicle data, camera footage, and witness memories fades quickly. A free, no-obligation case review can help you understand your options. Call or text (888) 800-6731, or start a free case review online. Asistencia en español disponible.
Analysis of the 118 Freeway Collision
When a moving vehicle strikes a stationary emergency vehicle and an on-duty first responder at a marked incident scene, investigators generally reconstruct the sequence of events, examine the driver's speed and awareness, and review how the blockade was set up and marked. In California, every person owes a duty of ordinary care to others on the road under Civil Code section 1714, and a driver who fails to exercise that care may be held responsible for resulting harm. Whether that standard was met here is a question for the ongoing investigation and is not established by the facts reported so far.
The Basic Speed Law, Vehicle Code section 22350, requires drivers to travel at a speed that is reasonable and prudent given traffic, visibility, and road conditions. If evidence were to show that a driver approached a lit, staffed incident scene at an unsafe speed, that statute could become relevant to how investigators and any civil claim evaluate the conduct. Under Evidence Code section 669, a driver's violation of a safety statute can, in some circumstances, support a presumption of negligence when the violation causes the type of injury the statute was meant to prevent and the injured person is within the protected class.
Because the earlier collision at the scene was reported to involve a wrong-way driver, investigators may also consider Vehicle Code section 21651, which prohibits driving on the wrong side of a divided highway. How, if at all, that separate event connects to the crash involving the fire engine would be part of the CHP's review. Any allocation of responsibility among the parties would be governed by California's comparative-fault principles under Civil Code section 1431.2, with recoverable damages measured under Civil Code section 3333.
What Injured First Responders and Others Can Do
Anyone hurt in a freeway collision should obtain the official CHP report, seek prompt medical evaluation even when injuries seem manageable, and preserve evidence such as photographs, vehicle information, and witness contacts. California law imposes firm deadlines: a driver in an injury crash must file a written report with law enforcement within 24 hours under Vehicle Code section 20008 and notify the DMV within 10 days under Vehicle Code section 16000, and most personal-injury lawsuits must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. Because an injured public employee may face additional considerations, sorting out rights and deadlines early is important.
Were you, or someone you love, involved in this crash? A Simi Valley Personal Injury Lawyer at Yaghmai Law Firm can explain your options and deal with the insurance companies for you. Call or text (888) 800-6731 or request a free case review.
About the Author
Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney of Yaghmai Law Firm, APC. California State Bar No. 298487. Speaks English, French, and Persian. The firm represents personal injury clients throughout Southern California – consultations by phone, text, or video, no office visits required.
This post was assembled with AI assistance from publicly reported news sources cited below. All California Vehicle Code references were verified against leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Facts were re-checked via additional web searches before publication. This post is based on initial news reports and may be updated as new facts develop. Nothing in this article is legal advice. Yaghmai Law Firm, APC is not associated with the investigating agencies and does not represent any party named in this post unless explicitly stated.
Sources:
1. ABC7 – Firefighter seriously injured after driver blows through freeway blockade, crashes into Ventura County fire engine in Simi Valley
