Construction worker killed in State Route 38 hit-and-run; Big Bear Lake man, 90, arrested

A 90-year-old Big Bear Lake man was arrested Monday after California Highway Patrol officers say he drove through a construction closure on eastbound State Route 38, struck and fatally injured a road worker, and then drove away. The victim, Edgar Chavez, 43, of Riverside, was taken to Bear Valley Community Hospital with major injuries and later died^[1].

The crash happened at approximately 7:07 a.m. on August 31, 2026, on State Route 38 east of Green Way Drive^[1]. CHP says Donald Parker was driving a 2012 Toyota eastbound when his vehicle crossed through the cone pattern marking the construction closure and struck Chavez, who was standing in the roadway inside the designated work zone^[1]. "For reasons still under investigation, the Toyota drove through the cone pattern and struck the male pedestrian," CHP stated^[1]. Parker then continued east on SR-38 and left the scene^[1].

The collision triggered a lengthy closure of State Route 38 while investigators worked the scene. The road did not reopen until just before 3:30 p.m. — more than eight hours after the crash^[1].

CHP Arrowhead Area officers tracked down and arrested Parker at approximately 2:45 p.m. that same day at the 41600 block of Mockingbird in Big Bear Lake^[1]. He was booked on PC 192(a), voluntary manslaughter, and VC 20001(a), hit-and-run involving injury. Booking records show he has since been released on bail^[1].

The investigation is being assisted by the CHP Inland Division Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team and the Inland Division Investigative Services Unit^[1]. Parker's perspective and any legal defense could not be confirmed at the time of publication; a defense attorney had not been publicly identified. Chavez's employer or contracting company also could not be confirmed.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact CHP Officer D. Julien at the CHP Arrowhead Area Office at (909) 867-2791^[1]. As this is an active investigation, additional charges or developments may be forthcoming.