You were hit on the 10, the 15, the 60, or a busy boulevard in Pomona, Ontario, or Fontana. Your car is damaged, you are hurting, and an insurance adjuster is already calling. This guide covers what to do after a crash in this corridor in 2026.
The short answer
Get medical care, get the report number, and do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer. The California Highway Patrol takes crashes on the freeways. The Pomona, Ontario, or Fontana police department takes most crashes on city streets. You generally have two years to sue the at-fault driver, but only six months to file a claim if a city, county, or state agency played a part.
Who takes the report?
The road decides the agency, not the city you live in.
- Interstate 10, Interstate 15, State Route 60, State Route 71, and Interstate 210: the CHP, even where the freeway runs through the middle of town.
- City streets in Pomona, such as Holt Avenue, Mission Boulevard, and Garey Avenue: the Pomona Police Department.
- City streets in Ontario, such as Holt Boulevard, Euclid Avenue, and Archibald Avenue: the Ontario Police Department.
- City streets in Fontana, such as Sierra Avenue, Foothill Boulevard, and Valley Boulevard: the Fontana Police Department.
Ask for the officer's name and the report number before you leave. If anyone was hurt and no report was taken, you must still report the crash to the DMV within 10 days on form SR-1.
The 10 and 15 interchange in Ontario
Interstate 10 and Interstate 15 cross in Ontario, and the ramps and merges around that interchange are some of the most crowded in the Inland Empire. Drivers cut across lanes, brake late, and merge at very different speeds.
Crashes here often involve three or more vehicles. Photograph every car, every license plate, and the lane markings. Write down which lane you were in, because the other drivers may tell a different story to their insurers.
Warehouse trucks in Ontario and Fontana
Ontario and Fontana are home to large distribution centers, and big rigs leave them all day and night. Trucks pull out of driveways, make wide turns across several lanes, and back into docks near public streets.
If a commercial truck hit you, the trucking company may share responsibility with its driver, and its logs and onboard data can be erased quickly. Our truck accident guide explains what to preserve and why speed matters. Do not let the trucking company's insurer talk you out of anything before you understand your rights.
Pomona: the 60, the 71, and campus traffic
Pomona sits where State Route 60 and State Route 71 meet, and the 10 runs along the north side of town. Cal Poly Pomona and the Fairplex bring students, event visitors, and out-of-town drivers who do not know the streets.
Fairplex events can fill the roads around the grounds with drivers looking for parking and rushing to get in. If a distracted or unfamiliar driver hit you, take photos of the intersection and the signals, and ask any witnesses for a name and number before they leave.
Which court would hear the case?
Pomona is in Los Angeles County, so a lawsuit over a Pomona crash would generally be filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Ontario and Fontana are in San Bernardino County, so those cases would generally be filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court. A crash near a city line can raise a question about where to file, and we sort that out for you.
Your deadlines
Under Code of Civil Procedure 335.1, you generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
The deadline is much shorter when a public agency is involved. A crash with a city vehicle, a county truck, a transit bus, or a dangerous road condition usually requires a written government claim within six months. Waiting to see how you feel is how people miss that window.
How we help drivers in the corridor
We handle cases in Pomona, Ontario, and Fontana by phone, text, and video, and we come to you when it matters. Our car accident lawyers help injured people across the Inland Empire, and our guide to Riverside and San Bernardino covers the roads east of here. Want to know where you stand before you decide anything? Ask for a free case review. No fee unless we win.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Deadlines and rules change; talk to a lawyer about your situation.