Skip to main content
Accident News
Live
Tuesday, November 10, 2026

1 Killed, 2 Injured in Cupertino Car Accident

The two-vehicle crash happened shortly after noon near Apple Park, and Tantau Avenue was closed in both directions for a time.

Cupertino, CaliforniaPublished 2 min read

One child was killed and two adults were hurt in a two-vehicle car crash outside the Apple Park Visitor Center in Cupertino on November 6, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office.

Approximate area around Pruneridge Avenue and North Tantau Avenue, Cupertino, CA. Open in Google Maps

How the Crash Near Apple Park Unfolded

The collision took place where North Tantau Avenue meets Pruneridge Avenue. The Sheriff's Office said deputies responded shortly after noon to the area in front of the Apple Park Visitor Center. Santa Clara Fire officials said firefighters arrived to find two cars that had collided, and one of them was on fire. Officials said bystanders found the child unconscious and began CPR until medics arrived.

Deputies said they found an adult woman and the child with serious injuries, and both were taken to a nearby hospital. The Sheriff's Office said the child later died despite lifesaving efforts, and the medical examiner's office for Santa Clara County identified her as Riley Howard, 2, of San Jose. The woman remains hospitalized in critical condition. The driver of the other vehicle, an adult man, had minor injuries and was treated and released from a hospital.

Help for families who lost someone is below.

What the Sheriff's Office Investigation Involves

The Sheriff's Office said detectives from its Traffic Accident Reconstruction Specialist team are investigating, and the circumstances leading up to the crash remain under investigation. The Sheriff's Office said the man was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter after detectives found probable cause. Authorities have not released his name.

Tantau Avenue was closed in both directions while investigators worked at the scene. A memorial with flowers, candles and a photo of Riley was held Saturday at the crash site. The Sheriff's Office asked anyone who saw the crash or has information to contact its STARS Team at (408) 868-6637.

Vehicles from a serious crash are often towed to a secure lot and held for inspection. That is a standard step, and the vehicles can be held for weeks.

Candice BondCandice Bond· Bond LegalFrom an earlier interview. General commentary, not about this crash, and not legal advice. The contributor may not be licensed in your state.

Sources

How we wrote this story

Every report here is built the same way: we pull the facts from published news coverage, cross-check them, and review the story before it publishes. See our full methodology.

How we checked it

The commentary set apart from the reporting is reviewed before it is published. Each contributor is a practising attorney who approved the words attributed to them.

That commentary may draw on prior interviews, and a contributor may not be licensed in your state. It is general information, not specific to the incident in this article, and not legal advice for your situation; for a specific matter, consult a licensed attorney in your area.

For more information, see our Ethics & Advertising.

If we got something wrong, tell us and we fix it. A correction says what was wrong and what it should have said, on the story itself.

Report an error

Lost someone in a crash like this?

Here is what families in California usually need, in the order it comes up.

  1. Death certificates. The funeral home or the family can order them, and banks and insurers each usually want a copy.

  2. Crash report. The crash report is usually ready a few weeks after the crash, and you can still get it later.

  3. Funeral costs. Every state has a victim fund that pays funeral costs after some crashes, and the fund decides who qualifies.

  4. Survivor payments. If the person who died had worked, their spouse or children may get monthly Social Security payments. Applying early matters.

  5. Insurance offer. You can turn down the insurer's first offer and ask for more.

Free Legal Consultation

Paid Advertisement

Bond Legal
Candice BondStefano Formica
4.8290 Google reviews (opens in a new tab)
Serving California and

States served

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Iowa
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wyoming

www.attorneysfortheinjured.com (opens in a new tab)

Hello, we're Candice Bond and Stefano Formica of Bond Legal. We put injured people across California and their families first, walking you through every option so you can make the best decision for your recovery. If you've been injured, or your family has lost someone, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Free consultation Available 24/7.

Prefer we reach out to you?

Leave your info to be contacted later.

Advertising disclosure

Bond Legal is organized as an LLC in Illinois and as a Professional Corporation in California. Bond Legal, LLC lawyers are licensed in AL, AR, FL, GA, HI, MN, MO, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, SC, WV and WY. Bond Legal, PC lawyers are licensed in CA, CO, IA, IL, MI, MT, TN, TX, and WA. Legal services are limited to the foregoing states. *Candice Bond is licensed in CA, IA, IL, TN, TX & WA only and can be contacted at 17500 Red Hill Ave. #100 Irvine, CA 92614, 949-988-7100, cmbond@bondlegalgroup.com. *Stefano Formica is licensed in CA and NV only. "Pay $0 Unless We Win For You," means that clients have no responsibility to pay Bond Legal any fees or costs except upon a monetary recovery. Contingent fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Some cases may be co-counseled with other lawyers. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.