HEMET: Off-road dirt bike rider seriously injured in Hwy. 74 head-on crash

HEMET — A person who was illegally riding a small, off-road, dirt bike across a busy highway was seriously injured after he plowed head-on into a car and was vaulted over the motorcycle’s handlebars, Saturday afternoon, Nov. 25.

The victim, who has not been publicly identified and was not wearing a helmet at the time of the collision, was airlifted to an area trauma center with major head trauma after the accident, which occurred at the intersection of E. Florida Avenue and Girard Street in Hemet.

City of Hemet Police and Fire personnel along with American Medical Response medics were dispatched to the scene of the traffic collision about 1:30 p.m., after multiple motorists and witnesses called 911 to report the collision.

When emergency first responders arrived they found a male down in the middle of the intersection. According to witnesses, he was not moving and was drifting in and out of consciousness.

Paramedics immediately began treating the victim and determined he had sustained substantial head trauma. Based on the person’s injuries, officials requested a Mercy Air Ambulance respond to the area to transport the victim to Riverside University Health System’s trauma center in Moreno Valley.

Once the victim was stabilized, AMR medics transported him by ground ambulance to Hemet Valley Hospital where a waiting air ambulance picked him up and life-flighted him to RUHS for further evaluation and treatment.

The victim appeared to be conscious and responsive before being rushed from the scene of the accident; however, his current condition has not been updated and is unknown at this time.

While firefighters and paramedics treated the injured victim, Hemet police officers investigated the cause of the major injury collision.

During their investigation, officers determined the victim had been illegally riding a small, white and green, Kawasaki meant strictly for off-road use. Dirt bikes with no lighting or safety equipment can only be legally ridden off-road when properly registered.

Upon closer examination officers determined the motorcycle had no head lights, tail lights, turn signals or license plate. Registration tags indicated the dirt bike had not been properly registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles since 2014.

After speaking with witnesses, officers determined the victim was racing northbound across Highway 74/E. Florida Avenue at Girard Street when he plowed into an older, red Camaro that was making a left turn onto the highway.

The impact of the car and much smaller motorcycle catapulted the rider over the handlebars and hood of the Camaro, where witnesses say he landed upside down on his head – about fifteen feet from the point of impact.

After the collision, the dirt bike continued traveling another twenty-five feet where it crashed into a nearby curb.

An AMR medic at the scene later explained the victim’s injuries would most likely have been minor, had he been wearing a helmet when the collision happened.

While police and fire officials worked at the scene, they called for the temporary, partial closure of the intersection, causing traffic to back up for at least a mile in both directions on Florida Avenue.

The intersection and roadway were re-opened to through traffic at the conclusion of the collision investigation.

Nearby residents who either witnessed the crash came to the scene to view the aftermath of the collision or heard about the accident later expressed frustration at the rider, who many said was known for riding recklessly – both during the day and at night – despite not having any proper lighting equipment, running stop signs and stop lights.

According to those who know the victim he is also known for cutting other motorists off, swerving recklessly around other vehicles and refusing to use common sense or obey any rules of the road.

One area resident, Annette Dotinga, who said she was familiar with the victim’s riding the off-road dirt bike on city streets said via social media, “This guy is a danger on this (little) bike. He cuts people off (and) runs stop signs at night.”

“Karma finally came and bit him in the ass,” Diane Osteen wrote on social media. “Can’t feel sorry for intentional carelessness.”

Countless people agreed with and echoed Osteen’s sentiment.

Charles DuPree, another local resident familiar with the victim said via email he was “not at all surprised” after his children told him about the major-injury crash.

“I don’t want to sound callous or uncaring, but that (expletive) got what he deserved,” said DuPree. “I truly hope the guy is OK and makes a full recovery, but I also hope he finally gets the message we have all been trying to explain to to him.”

DuPree explained that both he and his wife had personally spoken with the victim regarding his illegal and reckless riding actions, but “we basically gave up after he “told us off and cursed us out.”

“Don’t get me wrong, but that guy brought this on himself and has nobody else to blame, but than himself.” DuPree continued, adding, “That all being said, my family and I will be praying for his full recovery and it will hopefully be a difficult lesson learned the hard way.

This is a developing story that will be updated as additional information becomes available.

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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.