COLTON: Officials seek suspect after Perris motorcyclist killed in Reche Canyon hit and run

COLTON — Authorities are searching for a person they say fled the scene of a fatal, three-vehicle, traffic collision, Friday, Sept. 22. The deadly collision happened near the intersection of Reche Canyon Road and Scotch Lane in Colton.

San Bernardino County Coroner’s officials later identified 59-year-old, Perris resident, Steven Qwen Jarrel as the motorcyclist killed in the hit and run crash.

Law enforcement officials and medical personnel responded to the crash shortly after 5 p.m., after the accident was reported to City of Colton emergency dispatchers.

When they arrived, officers located a motorcyclist down in the roadway suffering from major traumatic injuries. Officials learned the driver of a second vehicle involved in the crash fled the scene on foot into Reche Canyon.

The motorcyclist, who was later identified as Jarrel, was transported by ambulance to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead by emergency room staff at 5:49 p.m.

Despite an “extensive search” by Colton Police officials, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Aviation Department and K-9 teams from the Colton Police Department and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the suspect was not located.

Based on the circumstances, Colton Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team and Detective Division responded and assumed the investigation, which officials say is active and ongoing.

During their investigation, accident  determined Jarrel was traveling southbound on Reche Canyon Road when he collided head-on with a northbound vehicle. Officials did not specify how the third vehicle was involved in the collision.

Anyone with information about this investigation of who witnessed the collision is encouraged to contact the Colton Police Department at (909) 370-5000. Callers can refer to incident file number 17-06258 and can remain anonymous.

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside 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.