NUEVO: One killed, one hospitalized, after 3-vehicle, head-on collision on Ramona Expressway

UPDATED: Tuesday, June 5, 5:30 p.m. With additional details provided by CHP

NUEVO — One person was killed, another was hospitalized, and a third escaped injury after a head-on traffic collision involving three vehicles earlier this morning. The fatal crash happened along a sweeping “S” curve on Ramona Expressway near Hansen Avenue in Nuevo.

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California Highway Patrol officers, Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighters, and other emergency first responders were dispatched to the scene of the deadly wreck shortly before 6:30 a.m., after other motorists and witnesses called 911 to report the accident.

When officials arrived they found the mangled wrecks of a black Dodge Charger and a white Ford Escape near the middle of the two-lane expressway.

An F250 pickup truck and trailer were pulled off the side of the expressway nearby and the trailer had come unhitched from the truck.

Vehicle parts and debris were scattered more than 100 yards along the roadway and morning commuters were slowly working their way past the scene, while several bystanders were trying to provide aid and comfort to the two injured drivers.

Firefighters quickly determined both drivers and sole occupants of the two cars were trapped inside their vehicles and required extrication. While firefighters set up the “Jaws of Life” to perform a cut and rescue operation, CHP began investigating the cause of the accident.

During their initial on-scene investigation, CHP determined a 33-year-old man from San Jacinto had been driving a 2018 Ford Escape westbound on Ramona Expressway, east of Hansen Avenue, just before the fatal collision.

At the same time, a 34-year-old man from Perris was driving a 2002 Ford F-250, towing a trailer, eastbound on Ramona Expressway. A 28-year-old, Lake Elsinore woman, was driving a 2014 Dodge Charger and following behind the pickup truck and trailer, east of Hansen.

“For reasons still under investigation, the driver of the Escape allowed the vehicle to travel to the left, across the double yellow lines, and into the path of travel of the F-250,” CHP later explained. Although the driver of the truck attempted to avoid the Escape, the SUV collided with the trailer, causing the trailer to become unhitched from the truck.

After the first collision, the small SUV continued forward and subsequently collided head-on with the Dodge, according to officers.

The driver of the Escape succumbed to their injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene.

“The driver of the F-250 was uninjured and the driver of the Dodge was transported to the Riverside County Regional Medical Center with moderate injuries,” said CHP.

The deceased victim’s name has not been released pending further investigation and notification of the man’s family.

California Highway Patrol’s investigation is active and ongoing and officers have not yet released any details regarding the cause of the fatal crash.

Anyone with information regarding this collision is asked to contact the Riverside California Highway Patrol Accident Investigation Unit at (951) 637-8000.

This is a developing story that will be updated as additional information is available.

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Sylvia Castillo/Hemet Eye News video

 

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.