UPDATED: SAN JACINTO: Man in wheelchair fatally struck by motorist
UPDATE: 10/05/2016 9:45 p.m.
Deputies diverted all northbound traffic on S San Jacinto Avenue onto E. Midway Avenue. Will Whelan photo
SAN JACINTO – A person travelling in a motorized wheelchair across S. San Jacinto Avenue was struck and killed by a passing motorist Wednesday, Oct. 5, according to sheriff’s officials.
The accident happened directly across the street from the San Jacinto Unified School District building, just north of E. Midway Avenue and south of E. Commonwealth Avenue at about 4:05 p.m.
The location of the accident was also across the street from the Hemacinto Mobile Park, where the man was often seen and where many witnesses stated they believed he lived.
The victim, who has only been identified as an adult male, was hit by a motorist in a silver Chrysler Sebring that was travelling northbound on S. San Jacinto Avenue.
Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s San Jacinto Station responded to the deadly traffic accident after Riverside County emergency communications dispatchers received several 911 calls regarding the accident. The first deputy arrived on scene of the accident within one minute of the dispatched call.
San Jacinto firefighters and paramedics arrived on scene within minutes of the dispatched call. Will Whelan photo
Upon arrival, deputies almost immediately called for the closure of all northbound traffic on S. San Jacinto Avenue and began diverting motorists eastbound onto E. Midway Street, away from where the accident occurred.
Witnesses at the scene reported that once San Jacinto firefighters and paramedics arrived on scene they immediately began to perform CPR on the victim, who reportedly suffered major head trauma and other unknown injuries.
AMR medics transported the victim to nearby Hemet Valley Hospital at 4:35 p.m. The victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead by hospital staff. He has not been identified, pending notification of his family.
While deputies began the process of investigating the accident, they reported a three car pileup at 5:07 p.m. The accident happened on southbound San Jacinto Avenue at the intersection of E. Midway Street. There were no reported injuries from the three car collision.
While additional deputies responded to the location to handle the three car collision, the original deputies continued their investigation into the fatal accident.
Their investigation revealed the victim “was crossing S. San Jacinto Avenue in a motorized wheelchair outside of a marked cross walk when he was struck by a vehicle traveling northbound on S. San Jacinto Avenue,” according to Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Himmelberg.
The vehicle that struck the man in the wheelchair stopped immediately after the collision. The driver remained at the scene and was fully cooperating with officials.
“Neither alcohol nor drugs are suspected in the incident,” Himmelberg said.
S. San Jacinto Avenue was closed for about three hours while officers investigated the deadly accident.
The San Jacinto Police Department requests anyone having additional information regarding this incident to call Deputy Cortez at (951) 654-2702. Callers can refer to incident file number I162790079 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.
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This is a developing story. Additional information will be updated as it becomes available.
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Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, Personnel and Background Investigations and he finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.