UPDATED: RIVERSIDE: Man fatally struck and left dead on busy MLK Blvd remains unidentified
UPDATED: Sunday, Aug. 27, 11 p.m.
RIVERSIDE — In spite of life-saving efforts made by both law enforcement and fire officials, a pedestrian – believed to have been struck by a vehicle – died at the scene, Wednesday, Aug. 23. The deadly incident was reported in the area of Martin Luther King Boulevard, west of Canyon Crest Drive, in Riverside.
Authorities closed westbound MLK Blvd., while investigating the fatal collision. Loudlabs News photo
According to a Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s release, the victim was an adult male, who has not yet been identified. The unidentified man’s family has not been located or notified regarding the victim’s death.
The coroner’s release indicated officials pronounced the unidentified man dead at 10:04 p.m. His exact location of death was determined to be in the roadway of Martin Luther King Boulevard, 200 feet east of UCR’s parking lot 30.
Riverside Police and Fire personnel, along with University of California Riverside Police, responded to reports of a subject down in the middle of westbound lanes of Martin Luther King Boulevard about 9:54 p.m., after a passing motorist spotted the man’s body in the roadway.
The initial caller told emergency dispatchers they believed the man had been fatally struck by a vehicle, according to officials.
According to witnesses, when the first Riverside police officer arrived at the scene, he immediately began life-saving measures on the fatally injured pedestrian and continued CPR and chest compression’s until he was relieved by paramedics, who declared the victim deceased at the scene.
The victim was knocked out of his shoes when he was struck and killed Aug. 23. Loudlabs News photo
Based on the circumstances, officers from Riverside PD’s Major Accident Investigation Team were summoned to the scene and assumed the investigation.
It was not immediately known if the victim was a student at UCR and no suspect or vehicle description was immediately available; however MAIT officials were reportedly checking the surrounding area for any surveillance cameras that may have potentially captured the fatal hit and run.
MAIT officers called for the temporary, partial closure of the westbound lanes of MLK Blvd., between UCR Lot 30 and Canyon Crest Drive, while they investigated the fatal, hit and run, traffic collision. The road was re-opened to through traffic several hours later.
Anyone with information regarding this deadly collision is urged to immediately contact Riverside Police Traffic Detective G. Matthews at (951) 826-8724. Callers can remain anonymous.
Click any image to open full-size gallery.
LOUDLABS NEWS provides the Los Angeles and surrounding areas with overnight “NEWS” footage.
Videos are available to law enforcement agencies, fire and rescue departments, upon request.
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, The Valley Chronicle 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 13 – soon to be 14 – grandchildren.