MORENO VALLEY: Driver killed after vehicle smashes into power pole, trees

MORENO VALLEY – A driver died when their car smashed into a telephone pole and several trees Saturday, March 25. The early-morning, single-vehicle wreck happened in the 17700 block of Lasselle Street between Avenida Classica and Via De Anza, near Rancho Verde High School, in Moreno Valley.

Moreno Valley Police and Fire personnel and other emergency first responders were dispatched to the scene of the fatal crash about 2:30 a.m., after Riverside County emergency dispatchers were notified about the wreck.

Callers told dispatchers a car had struck a telephone pole and that the impact sheared the telephone pole in half – leaving live lines dangling over nearby trees, the vehicle and in the street. A concrete light pole was also damaged in the collision.

When they arrived, officials found vehicle parts, debris and sections of the telephone pole strewn about the roadway after the wreck.

Authorities located the mangled wreckage of a car that had smashed into the pole and trees. The car, which was completely unrecognizable after the wreck, was found upside down amidst broken tree branches and the sheared power pole.

Emergency medical personnel were initially unable to gain access to the mortally injured driver or the vehicle due to live power lines that were left draped over the vehicle.

Southern California Edison workers were summoned to the scene to de-energize the live wires and assess the damage to the pole, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Public Information Officer Jody Hagemann. Crews were later forced to remove and replace the pole.

The driver and sole-occupant of the car “suffered multiple traumatic injuries,” Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant William Stens explained in a written press release after the incident.

The victim succumbed to their injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim has not been identified, pending notification of their family.

The Moreno Valley Police Traffic Reconstruction Team responded to the scene of the deadly crash and assumed the investigation.

Their preliminary investigation determined the car was traveling southbound on Lasselle Street when – for an unknown reason – the driver lost control, left the roadway and smashed into the pole and trees.

Traffic Team members were working to determine the speed of the car at the time of the crash. Alcohol and/or drug intoxication have not been ruled out, pending toxicology reports.

Southbound Lasselle Street was closed for several hours between Avenida Classica and Via De Anza while sheriff’s officials conducted their investigation into the fatal crash.

The road closure was expected to remain in effect until repairs could be made to the destroyed power pole.

Moreno Valley police officials are investigating the cause of the deadly wreck. Their investigation is active and ongoing.

Anyone with information about the incident or who witnessed the fatal collision are encouraged to contact officials at Moreno Valley PD at (951) 486-6700. Callers can refer to incident file number MV170840033 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

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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.