UPDATED: SAN JACINTO: Man fleeing from Hemet PD causes major wreck
UPDATE: 12/23/2016 11:30 a.m. With additional information from Riverside County Sheriff’s Department
Officers and deputies flooded into the area after the collision. Gary Rainwater photo
SAN JACINTO – Details are still emerging about a major-injury, multiple-vehicle, rollover traffic collision that happened Thursday, Dec. 22.
The wreck happened at the intersection of N. State Street and Cottonwood Avenue in San Jacinto and involved seven vehicles, including one vehicle that had been involved in a dangerous, high-speed pursuit with Hemet police officers shortly before the accident occurred.
Hemet police officers were not actively pursuing the suspect’s vehicle when the accident happened and had terminated their pursuit just one minute before the wreck; due to the fleeing man’s excessive speed and inclement weather conditions.
The suspect sustained major injuries in the wreck and several other drivers sustained minor injuries, according to Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Himmelberg. Two people were transported to a local hospital by ambulance.
The incident began at 4:45 p.m. when a Hemet police officer notified City of Hemet emergency dispatchers that a man in a Pontiac Grand Prix was fleeing from them in the area of 980 N. State Street in the City of Hemet.
Numerous AMR ambulances and supervisors responded to the chaotic accident scene. Gary Rainwater photo
It was not immediately known what the suspect, who has not been officially identified, was wanted for or what the original reason for the attempted stop was.
As the pursuit was beginning, officers requested emergency assistance from other nearby officers as they radioed updates to City of Hemet emergency dispatchers.
Officers pursued the suspect for about one minute before the lead officer in the pursuit notified dispatchers the suspect was fleeing in excess of 90 miles per hour. The officer cancelled the pursuit due to the man’s speed and wet weather conditions.
The pursuit was terminated at 4:46 p.m., in the area of N. State Street, north of Esplanade Avenue. A supervisor confirmed the pursuit was terminated and confirmed that officers were no longer pursuing the fleeing man.
Officials began arriving at the scene of the accident within one minute of the wreck. Gary Rainwater photo
At 4:47 p.m., about one minute after the pursuit was terminated, city and county emergency dispatch centers began to receive a flood of 911 calls reporting a major, multiple-vehicle, rollover traffic accident at the intersection.
Hemet police officers and deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s San Jacinto Police station began arriving within one minute of the reported traffic collision.
A traffic investigation determined that as the suspect was approaching a red light at Cottonwood Avenue, he crossed the center line into the opposing lanes of travel and struck several vehicles which were stopped at the red light, causing a chain reaction collision.
Officials arrived on scene to find vehicles and debris scattered throughout the intersection. One of the involved vehicles, an SUV, had overturned and there were several people reportedly trapped in the mangled wreckage’s of their vehicles.
Within minutes, five AMR ambulances and numerous Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire engine companies had responded to the chaotic scene.
While officers took the original suspect into custody at gunpoint, other emergency first responders immediately began to assess and triage the different victims. Fire officials called for Mercy Air to be placed on standby as the first of several victims were being transported away from the scene to several local area hospitals.
Within minutes of the wreck, N. State St. and Cottonwood Ave, were closed to through traffic. Gary Rainwater photo
Police and sheriff’s officials shut down the entire intersection in every direction, due to debris strewn for hundreds of yards surrounding the accident. All north and southbound traffic on N. State Street and all east and west bound traffic on Cottonwood Avenue was diverted away from the accident scene, to ensure the safety of emergency first responders providing aid to the victims.
During a subsequent search of the suspect’s vehicle, officers found a handgun near the front seat of the man’s wrecked car. A records check revealed the gun had been reported as stolen from the Riverside County area.
The suspect was determined to have two outstanding warrants for his arrest. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment of his injuries and will be arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, felony eluding, and other charges after his release.
Drug use is suspected to be a contributing factor in the collision, according to Himmelberg.
State Street was closed for about 2 hours while the collision was investigated. The roadway was reopened to through traffic about 7 p.m.
The San Jacinto Police Department requests anyone having additional information regarding the traffic collision to call the San Jacinto Police Department at (951) 487-7352. The Hemet Police Department should be contacted regarding the crime which occurred in the city of Hemet. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.
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This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as they become available.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
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.
Thank you for the story . I pray. Everyone gets through the holiday season safe and sound . We are older and I pray and hold my breath until my husband gets home .
Well that was a quick chase! I hope everyone included in the crash was okay. I hate seeing accidents like this. My heart goes out to the families affected by one person’s selfish mistakes. So thankful for our PD!!
It’s a shame how irresponsible people can cause so much destruction. It doesn’t even look like harsher penalties would work in these case, as many of these people don’t intentionally want to cause trouble, but do so anyway because of poor choices.