UPDATED: Man, 18, arrested for DUI after car lands upside down on preschool building
UPDATED: Saturday, Mar. 31, 9:30 p.m.
WILDOMAR — An 18-year-old man officials allege was intoxicated when a vehicle he was driving soared off Bundy Canyon Road and landed upside down on the roof of a preschool classroom was arrested after deputies tracked him to his residence. The accident, that reportedly destroyed a portable building, happened late Friday night, Mar. 30.
Mateo Rayo, 18, was arrested for DUI after allegedly crashing an Infiniti onto a preschool’s roof. RSO booking photo
Emergency first responders were dispatched to the Bundy Canyon Christian School on the 23400 block of Bundy Canyon Road, shortly after 11:30 p.m., after receiving reports of the crash.
Witnesses reported that a silver 2006 Infiniti G35 coupe lost control and launched about 50 feet off Bundy Canyon Road, landing on top of one of several portable buildings at the school.
Evidence at scene indicated the Infiniti had possibly been traveling westbound on Bundy Canyon Road when it left the paved roadway sliding sideways, hit a small raised dirt berm and soared about 50 feet – first clearing a fence, the corner of another building’s roof and a livestock pen – before crash-landing upside down on the roof of a portable building on the school’s campus.
Deputies investigating the suspected DUI-crash located the vehicle’s registered owner, later identified as Mateo Leon Rayo, of Wildomar, about 3 1/2 hours after the wreck. He was found at his Verde Mesa Street residence, about four miles from where the accident happened.
Deputies later arrested Rayo and after being medically cleared, he was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of driving under the influence. Rayo was reportedly uninjured in the crash.
AN online jail records search revealed Rayo was released within hours of his arrest and is scheduled to be arraigned at Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, May 14. It was not immediately known if he would also be charged with leaving the scene of an accident.
Anyone with information about this investigation or who witnessed the collision is encouraged to contact Officer Yu of the Wildomar Police Department at (951) 245-3300. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.
ORIGINAL STORY: BREAKING: WILDOMAR: Car soars over one structure, lands upside down on another
WILDOMAR — Details are still emerging after a speeding car soared about 50 feet off of Bundy Canyon Road – clearing the roof of one building at a school – but landing upside down on another.
An Infinti landed upside down on a school’s roof after soaring off Bundy Canyon Road late last night. William Hayes/OC Hawk News
Two people were believed to have fled the scene of the accident that happened at the Bundy Canyon Christian School, late Friday night, Mar. 30.
The school is on the 23400 block of Bundy Canyon Road, just west of Oak Creek Road, in Wildomar. As of this report, officials had not made any arrests in the hit and run accident.
Deputies assigned to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Wildomar Police Station and other emergency first responders were dispatched to the school’s campus about 11:40 p.m., after they were notified regarding the wreck. According to witnesses, two people had possibly climbed from the wrecked vehicle, jumped from the building’s roof, and fled from the area on foot.
When officials arrived, they found a silver Infinity G35 coupe, upside down and smoking, on top of a portable building at the location. The building sits directly adjacent to and parallel with Bundy Canyon Road, and across from a large red building with white trim and lettering that says Lil’ Lambs Barn.
Evidence at scene indicated the Infiniti had possibly been traveling westbound on Bundy Canyon Road when for an unknown reason it left the paved roadway sliding sideways, hit a small raised dirt berm and soared about 50 feet – first clearing a fence, the corner of another building’s roof and a livestock pen – before crash-landing upside down on the roof of a portable building on the school’s campus.
Sheriff’s deputies are investigating the hit and run after at least one occupant fled the scene after the wreck. John Strangis/Eye News Media photo
The vehicle nearly cleared the entire second building and barely remained on the portable’s roof. According to an official at the scene, if the vehicle had flown about five feet further it likely would have come crashing down to the pavement below.
After the crash a sheriff’s helicopter was seen circling overhead as its aviation crew searched for anyone who might have fled from the vehicle. While the helicopter circled with its spotlight sweeping area fields and neighborhoods, employees from the school were seen inspecting damage to the portable building where the vehicle remained.
The building’s roof and structure appeared to have sustained major damage and building inspector’s were later summoned to the scene to determine if the building was still usable.
Sheriff’s and fire officials have not yet released any information regarding the crash and it is not yet known if alcohol or drugs were contributing factors in the wreck.
Although there have been no reported injuries it was not yet known if the occupant(s) who fled the scene were injured and officials were checking area hospitals for anyone coming in with crash-related injuries.
Wildomar PD is investigating the crash and their investigation is active and ongoing.
This is a developing story that will be updated as information becomes available.
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Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 46, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and 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.
The Farm POA is not unincorporated ,It is part of the City of Wildomar.Thank you.The citizens involved with re-directing traffic are members of the Crime Watch committee .Crime watch has aided the sheriff department many times on searches ,accidents and Day to day “observe and report duties “Traffic redirected through the Farm streets drove abominably ,speeding up to the stop signs ,racing down the steeper streets ,even overtaking each other in crowded two way traffic . It was amazing that nobody else was killed whilst being led through our community .We are not a senior community and have lots of children living here, sadly in the 15 years I have lived in the Farm Bundy canyon es has been the source of much heartbreak and rancour in the community,promised widening and improving have not taken place ,funding always seems to go elsewhere and the increasing amount of construction in neighboring cities impacts Bundy canyon.Perhaps a moratorium on new building until the companies can help widen the road they use and destroy with their numerous earth moving trucks.Everyone in the Farm has cracked windshields from rock clippings falling from dirt movers ,our road surfaces are bad and the shoulders on Bundy are non existent ,yet here we go into another Winter ,flooding ,washed out berms ,and more potholes.No more fatalities please ,especially ones that can be avoided by fixing the local”death trap” Jan MacKenzie. Resident and former Board member.