HEMET: Neighborhood reeling after drunk driver smashes into 6 cars, 3 structures
Robert Carter of Public Safety Incidents contributed to this report.
HEMET – A man was arrested for driving under the influence after he attempted to flee from an early-morning wreck, Tuesday, May 9. The accidents happened on S. Santa Fe Street near Mayberry Avenue in Hemet.
An alleged drunk driver smashed into a parked Ford mini-van. Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents photo
Officials have not released the name of the alleged drunk driver, who was described as an elderly Hispanic male.
The driver reportedly suffered a broken nose and other minor injuries. He was evaluated at the scene by AMR medics; however, he refused further medical treatment.
Hemet Fire and Police officials were dispatched to the area about 4:37 a.m., after numerous residents called 911 to report hearing multiple collisions on the street.
Some 911 callers reported the driver involved in the collisions was possibly under the influence and he had hit multiple vehicles and structures while trying to flee from the first crash.
When officers arrived at the scene they found damaged cars and vehicle debris strewn across Santa Fe Street. Numerous residents were outside their homes and they directed officers to the driver who had allegedly caused all the destruction in the residential neighborhood. Officers detained the driver for further investigation.
Robert Carter, of Hemet’s Public Safety Incidents Facebook group reported from the scene that according to witnesses and officials, the driver was traveling northbound on Santa Fe Street in a white Ford SUV early this morning when he struck a street sign and smashed nearly head-on into a parked Ford Windstar.
After hitting the van, the driver backed into another vehicle and plowed into a garage. Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents photo
The man then sped in reverse away from the heavily damaged mini-van before crashing into a Hyundai Elantra and plowing into a residential garage. He then continued across the street where he smashed into a Ford Taurus and several trees.
The fleeing man then crashed through a fence into a Honda Civic and Chevy Corsica pushing both cars into a sixth vehicle. Another garage adjacent to the home was also structurally damaged in the wreck.
While officers conducted their investigation, neighbors from up and down the street milled about surveying the damage as the sun began to rise.
Some neighbors stood in groups, discussing the incident and wondering what steps to take next. Others just shook their heads while surveying the numerous damaged vehicles, structures and property.
During their investigation, officers called for the closure of Santa Fe Street in both directions and Hemet Police volunteers were summoned to the scene to assist.Officials re-opened the road about three hours later.
After their investigation, officers reportedly arrested the driver.
There were no other reported injuries related to the multiple wrecks.
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Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents video
Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents video
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Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for 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 and breaking his back 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.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
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.
What is wrong with people?