SAN JACINTO: Wet weather blamed on wreck that injured two drivers

SAN JACINTO – Two people were injured, one of whom sustained life-threatening injuries, in a two-vehicle traffic collision Monday, Feb. 27. The accident happened in the area of Ramona Expressway near Main Street in San Jacinto.

Deputies from the San Jacinto Police Department responded to the injury traffic collision about 5:25 p.m., after numerous people called 911 to report the wreck.

When deputies and other emergency first responders arrived, they located two vehicles, described as a Ford Focus and Hyundai Tuscon, with major damage at the location.

One of the drivers was trapped inside the mangled wreckage of their vehicle and firefighters had to perform a cut and rescue operation to extricate the victim, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire spokeswoman April Newman.

Firefighter/paramedics treated both drivers at the scene before medics transported them by ground ambulance to an area hospital.

Deputies investigated the cause of the collision and determined the Ford Focus was traveling south on Ramona Expressway when the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to slide across the center median on the wet roadway.

The Ford then collided with a Hyundai Tuscon traveling north on Ramona Expressway, according to Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Robert Himmelberg.

The driver of the Ford suffered life-threatening injuries. The other driver suffered moderate injuries.

“No drug or alcohol use is suspected, and the weather appears to be a factor in the collision,” Himmelberg explained.

Ramona Expressway was closed for several hours while deputies continued their investigation into the collision.

The San Jacinto Police Department requests anyone having additional information regarding this incident to call the San Jacinto Police Department at (951) 487-7352. Callers can refer to incident file number I170580076 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor 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, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.