YUCAIPA: Man dies during pursuit after violent crash into tree

YUCAIPA – A man was killed while leading San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed pursuit Thursday, Dec. 29.

The pursuit began when San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies attempted a traffic enforcement stop.

The driver, who was later identified as Jesus Ortiz, 22, of Yucaipa, refused to yield to the deputies and fled from pursuing officers.

The pursuit ended about 1:58 a.m., when Ortiz lost control of his vehicle and smashed into a tree near the intersection of Date Avenue and Fern Lane in Yucaipa, according to sheriff’s officials.

Paramedics treated Ortiz at the scene before AMR medics transported him to a nearby hospital. He later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead by hospital staff.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the pursuit and collision.

Anyone with information about this incident or who witnessed the pursuit and/or crash is encouraged to contact San Bernardino County sheriff’s officials at (909) 387-3545.

 

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.