HEMET: Acacia Ave. shut down after Hemet PD patrol vehicle involved in collision

November 27, 2017 Trevor Montgomery

HEMET — A Hemet Police Community Service Officer was involved in a two-vehicle traffic collision while on-duty and driving a marked patrol vehicle, Monday, Nov. 27. The non-injury accident happened on the 400 block of E. Acacia Avenue, between S. Buena Vista and S. Franklin Streets, in Hemet.

City of Hemet Police and Fire personnel along with American Medical Response medics rushed to the scene of the accident just after 2 p.m., when the accident was reported to City of Hemet emergency dispatchers.

A Hemet PD patrol vehicle was moderately damaged in a two-vehicle traffic collision on E. Acacia Avenue, just east of S. Buena Vista Street earlier today. Alex Cruz/Hemet News-Inland Empire News photo

When they arrived, officials found two damaged vehicles, including the patrol vehicle and a silver, Ford Fusion Hybrid sedan. The damaged cars were left blocking both directions of travel on Acacia Avenue just east of S. Buena Vista Street.

Both vehicle’s left front wheels were sheered off in the collision. Neither vehicle was driveable and later had to be towed from the scene.

Both drivers, who were the sole-occupants of the cars, were out of their vehicles and were evaluated by paramedics. After being checked out, both declined further treatment at the scene.

While paramedics evaluated both victims, Hemet PD Traffic Team officers began investigating the cause of the collision.

According to witnesses at the scene, the male driver of the silver sedan had turned onto Acacia Avenue heading eastbound – directly in front of the oncoming westbound patrol vehicle, at which time the front left sides of the two cars collided.

The male driver who turned in front of the patrol vehicle had reportedly just left an eye appointment where an optometrist had dilated his eyes, possibly contributing to the collision.

While officers conducted their investigation and medics evaluated both drivers, traffic was diverted off Acacia Avenue between S. Buena Vista and Franklin Streets. The roadway was later re-opened to through traffic.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

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Alex Cruz/Hemet News-Inland Empire News photo

Alex Cruz/Hemet News-Inland Empire News video

Contact the writer: [email protected]

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.