HEMET: No injuries after recklessly speeding SUV overturns
HEMET — No injuries were reported after an SUV lost control and overturned, crashing into a wrought iron fence at the corner of a vacant building Sunday evening, Apr. 1. Two occupants who were in the speeding truck when it careened out of control and rolled reportedly fled the scene, but both were quickly located and apprehended. The hit and run rollover accident happened just north of the intersection of State and Front Streets in Hemet.
Robert Carter & Timothy Franzese/Public Safety Incidents photo
City of Hemet Police and Fire personnel along with other emergency first responders were dispatched to the scene of the crash about 7:30 p.m., after multiple people called 911 to report the accident.
According to witnesses the SUV was speeding and driving recklessly southbound on State Street when the driver lost control and the vehicle overturned multiple times, crashing into a street sign and a decorative fence behind the building formerly occupied by Got Gold? and Sharkey’s Pizza.
Callers also reported the driver and another person shimmied out of the destroyed SUV and fled from the scene. Both were later located hiding behind one of the area buildings, according to witnesses at the scene.
When officials arrived they found an unoccupied and heavily damaged black Ford Expedition with new, paper dealership plates that had overturned and crashed into a wrought iron decorative fence. The wrecked vehicle came to rest next to the building just north of Front Street – a small road that runs diagonally from State Street to N. Harvard Street – between E Latham and E. Florida Avenues.
Vehicle parts and debris were strewn across the northbound lanes of State Street and the vehicle was partially blocking the lanes of travel. Personal items from the SUV including a large speaker enclosure lay in the roadway and one of the vehicle rear wheels – sheared off in the crash – and the SUV’s spare tire sat nearby.
A 30 mph speed limit sign lay next to the truck and the sign’s pole had punched through one of the SUV’s rear windows and all the SUV’s windows had been shattered when the truck was rolling.
Although the Ford sustained major damage neither occupant were reportedly injured. Robert Carter & Timothy Franzese/Public Safety Incidents photo
The first officers on scene confirmed the driver and a passenger had possibly fled and assisting officers began searching the area for the pair who abandoned the wrecked SUV. With help from witnesses, officers quickly located both occupants.
Witnesses reportedly told officers the accident happened when the driver, who has not yet been publicly identified, was traveling southbound on State Street just before the accident. Witnesses said after passing Latham Avenue the driver of the SUV lost control while possibly trying to merge into slower moving traffic.
As the SUV lost control the speeding vehicle began fish-tailing wildly back and forth before the vehicle began overturning. The SUV rolled several times across the northbound lanes of State Street before crashing into the wrought iron fence.
After officers located the pair who fled the scene of the crash, paramedics evaluated both, who were reportedly uninjured. Both declined further medical attention.
Officials have not yet released information regarding the accident and investigation and it was not immediately known if the driver who reportedly fled was arrested or if he is facing any charges.
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Robert Carter & Timothy Franzese/Public Safety Incidents video
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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.
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