JURUPA VALLEY: 14-year-old dies after thrown from truck, 22-year-old charged with murder

JURUPA VALLEY — A teenage boy died when he was ejected from the back of a moving truck and a 22-year-old was later arrested after fleeing the scene of the fatal accident that sheriff’s officials say was caused by “reckless driving,” Thursday, July 20. The deadly incident happened in the area of Live Oak and Lakeside Drives, east of Camino Real and north of Limonite Avenue, in Jurupa Valley.

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Jurupa Valley Police Station responded to scene of the accident about 10:30 p.m., after emergency dispatchers received reports of a possible hit and run traffic collision at the location, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Raemie Wood explained in a written press release after the boy’s death.

911 callers told dispatchers after the boy was ejected from the speeding truck the driver fled the scene and failed to render aid or call for medical aid for the mortally injured victim.

Deputies arrived on scene within minutes and found the teen laying in the roadway. He had sustained major, traumatic injuries after being ejected from the bed of the pickup truck.

Firefighter/paramedics provided life-saving efforts to the boy before AMR medics transported him to an area hospital. He later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead by hospital staff.

The victim’s identity was not released due to his age.

Based on the circumstances, Jurupa Valley Traffic investigators responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. During their preliminary investigation officials determined the victim “had been thrown from the back of a moving pickup truck, due to reckless driving,” said Wood.

Investigators developed leads and gathered information that ultimately led them to an address in the 4000 block of Scholes Avenue in Jurupa Valley, where they located and arrested Layn Meyer, 22, of Jurupa Valley.

An online jail records search revealed Meyer was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside for murder. He remains in custody on $1-million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at the Riverside Hall of Justice July 25.

Anyone with additional information about this incident or who witnessed the fatal accident is encouraged to call Deputy A. Ditfurth at the Jurupa Valley Station at (951) 955-2600. Callers can refer to incident file number JV172010205 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

Contact the writer: [email protected]

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.

s 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.