MENIFEE: Hemet resident arrested after DUI-related wreck with cement truck
MENIFEE — A Hemet resident was arrested after plowing his vehicle into a cement truck, Thursday, Nov. 9. The DUI-related accident happened on State Highway 74 near Sherman Road in Menifee.
Austin Mikels was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs after he crashed his vehicle into a cement truck, Nov. 9. RSO booking photo
After investigating the collision, deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Menifee Police Station arrested 20-year-old, Austin Gregory Mikels, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Lamb explained in a written press release after the accident and arrest. He was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs.
The investigation began shortly before 6:30 p.m., after other motorists and witnesses called 911 to report the accident.
When emergency first responders arrived at the scene of the collision, they found a wrecked vehicle in a ditch along the side of Hwy 74 and a damaged cement mixer nearby.
While fire officials evaluated and treated Mikels’ injuries, deputies investigated the cause of the crash.
During their investigation, deputies determined both Mikels and the driver of the cement truck were travelling eastbound on Hwy 74 when, for unknown reasons, Mikels collided with the truck.
After smashing into the cement mixer, Mikels’ vehicle left the roadway and came to rest in a ditch.
Neither Mikels nor the truck driver were injured; however, deputies determined Mikels was “driving while impaired by drugs,” said Lamb.
Based on their investigation, deputies arrested Mikels and transported him to a local hospital where he received a medical clearance for booking.
An online jail records search revealed Mikels was released from custody within hours of his arrest with a citation to appear at Riverside Hall Of Justice, Jan 26.
The investigation into the crash is active and ongoing.
Anyone with information on this investigation is encouraged to call Deputy Christopher Grimm at the Menifee Police Department, (951) 210-1000. Callers can refer to incident file number ME173130089 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.
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Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County 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.
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 27 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 14 grandchildren.