LAKE ELSINORE: Trying to drive away after being shot, victim careens 75 feet down ravine, later dies
LAKE ELSINORE — A shot and injured 35-year-old man who officials say was trying to drive away from the scene of a shooting this afternoon managed to travel less than a mile before losing control of his vehicle and crashing along a sweeping “S” curve along Railroad Canyon Road near Church Street in Lake Elsinore.
Officials rushed to the scene of an accident involving a man who went 75 feet down an embankment while trying to drive away after being shot in Lake Elsinore. Eye News Media photo
Firefighters from Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire’s Canyon Hills Fire Station, who were already rushing to the scene of the reported shooting, witnessed the crash, Cal Fire Riverside County Fire spokesperson April Newman later explained in an incident report.
According to Newman, after the victim’s vehicle careened off the roadway it tumbled and overturned multiple times as it fell about 75 feet down a steep and rugged ravine along the San Jacinto River.
Despite life-saving efforts by both deputies and paramedics, the victim died after being rushed to an area hospital. Sheriff’s officials later identified the victim as 35-year-old, Henry Shannon.
Deputies assigned to the Lake Elsinore Police Station and other emergency first responders were dispatched to the area of Railroad Canyon Road and Grape Street about 3:30 p.m., after receiving a 911 call reporting a shooting, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Steve Brosche explained in a written press release a few hours after the investigation began.
Several minutes later, while officials were still headed to the scene of the shooting, an engine company responding to the incident witnessed the shooting victim’s vehicle careen off Railroad Canyon Rd. where it came to rest 75 feet down the ravine, according to Newman.
The victim’s vehicle, a black Nissan pickup truck appeared to have overturned numerous times as it rolled down the steep embankment and the truck sustained major damage.
The accident happened about three-quarters of a mile from where the shooting was reported.
A Cal Fire inmate work crew assisted during the rescue attempt. Eye News Media photo
While fire officials “set up a rope system to make access to the vehicle,” deputies called for the temporary closure of Railroad Canyon Road, between Canyon Hills Road to Grape Street.
The road remained closed for several hours while Sheriff’s Central Homicide investigators and other officials investigated the shooting and subsequent accident.
More than an hour later, shortly before 5 p.m., Newman updated that firefighters had managed to work their way down to Shannon’s vehicle and had extricated him from the wrecked truck. He was then transported to a local hospital in critical condition, “where he later died from injuries sustained from the shooting,” according to Brosche.
A fire official at the scene later reported to on-scene community reporters that the victim appeared to have been shot multiple times.
Officials have not released any known motive or what might have led to the deadly shooting; however, at least two witnesses who tried to help the victim later reported seeing what they said appeared to be a large amount of marijuana inside the man’s truck.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Detective Stoyer with the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777 or Investigator Kelleher with the Lake Elsinore Police Department at (951) 245-3300. Callers can refer to incident file number L181340088 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s Homicide Tipline online form.
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Eye News Media video from scene
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 several other news organizations, including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook, as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and The Mountain Echo in Shasta 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. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s 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 – soon to be 15 – grandchildren.
What does it mean “posted by Trevor Montgomery?” Did you write it? Either way, reporting of this story kicks the ass of whomever wrote the CBS one.
Thanks Greg!
Despite RCNS and SCNS being read in more than 180 countries and an additional dozen or so recognized territories and pulling in and average 200,000 views a month, the whole operation is just a one-man show. I personally write each and every report you read under the RCNS and SCNS names.
Thank you for the kind words. They are much appreciated!
-TM