News Release

Fatal semi-truck crash in Death Valley National Park

The historic former ranger station at Emigrant Junction. Two stone columns were destroyed, the porch roof was damaged, and windows were broken.

NPS

News Release Date: May 21, 2025

Contact: Nichole Andler

Contact: e-mail us

Death Valley, CA — Around 2:12 pm on May 20, 2025, a semi-truck crashed into a building at Emigrant Junction in Death Valley National Park. The crash was likely caused by a brake malfunction. The driver was killed in the accident. No other vehicles were involved. 

National Park Service staff responded to assist with scene management. A dry form of sodium sulfate mined in the Searles Valley, and diesel fuel from the truck spilled on the roadway. The truck was destroyed and the wreckage blocked the roadway. CA Highway 190 between Stovepipe Wells and Towne Pass was closed for 22 hours. It reopened at approximately 11:30am May 21st. A hazmat team arrived overnight to begin management of the spill clean-up at about 11:00pm. 

The truck collided with the historic Emigrant Ranger Station. The stone structure was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Stan Jones wrote the song “Ghost Riders in the Sky” while living in this building and working as a park ranger in 1947. The building has not been used for several decades but is maintained for its history. The truck collided with the building’s porch, destroying two stone columns, damaging the roof, and breaking windows.  

Park emergency responders were assisted by additional personnel from California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), California Highway Patrol, Inyo County Coroner and Ten West Towing. 

CA-190 has long, steep grades on both sides of Towne Pass, which can lead to brakes overheating in heavy vehicles. An electrical contractor truck burned after descending Towne Pass on April 9. Six commercial trucks and one 5th-wheel RV caught on fire below Towne Pass in 2024. 

The truck and trailer involved in the accident. Collision with the stone building resulted in the trailer tearing into two parts.

NPS