RIVERSIDE: One hospitalized after SUV smashes in tree, overturns
RIVERSIDE — A driver was hospitalized after their SUV smashed into a tree and overturned, early Sunday morning, Jan. 14. The single-vehicle, traffic collision happened on Trautwein Road, just south of John F. Kennedy Drive, in Riverside’s Orange Crest area.
City of Riverside Fire and Police personnel along with AMR medics responded to the area shortly after 1 a.m., when several people called 911 and reported the wreck.
When they arrived in the area, officials found a dark-colored Dodge SUV that had smashed into a large tree and overturned, before coming to rest back on its wheels in the number one southbound lane of Trautwein Road.
The Dodge had sustained major, front-end damage and vehicle parts, most of the tree and other debris were strewn across the roadway, blocking the southbound lanes of travel.
Officials determined the driver of the SUV was trapped and firefighters used the “Jaws-of-Life” to extricate the drive from the SUV. After being freed from the wrecked vehicle, the driver was transported by ground ambulance to an area hospital. The victim’s condition was not known.
While firefighters worked to free the injured driver and officers investigated the cause of the crash, many nearby residents watched the ongoing activities from over their back fences and nearby sidewalks.
Officers determined the vehicle had been traveling southbound on Trautwein Road when, for unknowns reasons, the SUV went into the center median and struck the tree.
It’s unknown if alcohol played a role in the crash; however according to officials at the scene, speed appears to have been a contributing factor.
During their investigation, officials called for the temporary closure of southbound Trautwein Road at John F. Kennedy. The roadway was re-opened at the conclusion of official’s initial investigation, which is active and ongoing.
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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.