Tori Spelling has provided her first public account of a serious car accident in Temecula that sent seven children to the hospital, describing a harrowing moment when she saw another vehicle speeding toward her car and made a split-second decision to protect the young passengers.
The 52-year-old actress addressed the incident in a social media video posted on Tuesday, April 7, explaining that the collision occurred "a few days before Easter" and involved four of her children and three of their friends. The accident took place on April 2, 2026, at 5:44 p.m. in the 28000 block of Rancho California Road, according to the Riverside Sheriff's Department.
"We're OK, but it's been really overwhelming," Spelling said in the video. "We are so grateful and so lucky because it could have been so much worse."
Spelling described the moments leading up to the collision with striking detail. She claimed the other driver was "speeding, going crazy, crazy fast" and "went through a light" before making impact with her vehicle. Recognizing the imminent danger, the Beverly Hills, 90210 actress said she took immediate evasive action.
"Guardian angels were definitely with us that day because in a split second I looked and saw he was going to full on impact into the side of our car," Spelling recounted. "And I turned hard left as hard as I could, as fast as I could, to avoid as much impact on the children as possible. He spun us out."
The Riverside Sheriff's Department confirmed that deputies responded to the scene and located two vehicles with collision damage. All occupants were medically evaluated at the scene. Spelling and the seven children were transported to a hospital in three separate ambulances, according to her representative.
Police have stated that the cause of the collision remains under investigation. No arrests were made at the scene.
Spelling expressed gratitude to emergency personnel and the community in her video message. "Thank you to all the first responders who took such good care of the kids and myself," she said. She also acknowledged the outpouring of support from well-wishers, stating she was "grateful to everyone who has reached out and repeatedly checked on us and offered to do whatever we needed to get us through this."
The actress shares five children with ex-husband Dean McDermott: Liam, 19, Stella, 17, Hattie, 14, Finn, 13, and Beau, 9. McDermott also has a 25-year-old son, Jack, with ex-wife Mary Jo Eustace. Spelling did not specify which of her children were in the vehicle during the incident.
The accident occurred during what has been a busy period for Spelling's family. One week before the collision, she attended the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where she discussed her children's activities. She revealed that Liam has graduated and is pursuing fashion design, while Stella is a high school senior preparing for prom and graduation.
In her video message, Spelling praised the resilience of all the children involved. "So much gratitude for life and the bravery for all the kids in the car for what they went through," she said, adding that she was still processing the traumatic experience.
The actress captioned her social media post with thanks "to all the first responders, to everyone that has reached out and checked on us, to all of you and your prayers, and to our guardian angels."
As the investigation into the collision continues, Spelling's account highlights both the dangers of reckless driving and the importance of defensive driving techniques in protecting vulnerable passengers. The incident serves as a sobering reminder of how quickly routine travel can turn dangerous on Southern California roadways.