One arrested, three hospitalized, home heavily damaged, after RV careens into MV residence

MORENO VALLEY — Despite their home being heavily damaged, a Moreno Valley couple is thankful to be alive and uninjured after an allegedly intoxicated driver lost control of a motorhome and plowed full speed into the couple’s home late Thursday night. The home where the DUI-related wreck happened is on the 15400 block of La Casa Drive, just north of Iris Avenue and Moreno Beach Drive.

The accident sent the three of five people traveling in the motorhome to the hospital with various injuries and the driver, 59-year-old, Mark Anthony Maddux, was later arrested and booked into Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

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City of Moreno Valley Police and Fire Departments along with other emergency first responders were dispatched to the scene of the wreck about 11 p.m., after the stunned homeowners and other witnesses called 911 to report the crash.

Eighteen firefighters from three engine companies and two truck companies responded to the scene of the accident, Jody Hagemann explained in an incident report. They were assisted by members of Moreno Valley Fire’s Urban Search and Rescue Team.

When officials arrived they found the mangled remains of an RV that had smashed into a home. Area residents, woken by the tremendous crash some described as sounding “like a bomb went off,” were trying to check on the home’s occupants as well as five people who were trapped and injured inside the motorhome.

Rescuers quickly began the process of extricating the occupants from the RV and Maddux and his four passengers were eventually pulled from the wrecked vehicle.

Three of the RV’s victims were transported to nearby Riverside University Health System for evaluation and treatment of their injuries. One passenger sustained serious injuries while Maddux and the other passenger sustained moderate injuries according to an official at the scene.

During their subsequent investigation, deputies investigating the accident learned Maddux and his passengers were heading north on Via Del Lago from Lake Perris when he lost control of the older, Class C, Dodge motorhome.

According to witnesses who narrowly avoided being struck by the speeding vehicle, the approximately 30 foot RV careened through the intersection of Via Del Lago and Iris Avenue/Moreno Beach Drive before plowing into the two-story residence north of the intersection.

Witnesses told officials Maddux never hit his brakes before smashing into the home and the RV narrowly avoided a concrete light pole as well as two trees in the front yard of the residence.

Several hours after the wreck, after Search and Rescue members had shored up the front of the damaged home as well as a balcony that was also damaged, tow officials began extricating the RV away from the home.

As the destroyed motorhome was being pulled from the residence, the RV completely peeled apart and broke into numerous pieces, further slowing firefighter’s efforts.

The home’s two residents later said that when the RV struck their home, the impact “sounded like an explosion.” But when they came downstairs the couple was “completely shocked” to find a motorhome inside their living room.

Although the couple who was inside the house at the time of the crash were not hurt, they were displaced as a result of the extensive damage to their home, according to Hagemann.

Once the RV was pulled from the front of the heavily damaged home, a gaping hole remained in the front left corner of the residence and fire officials later boarded up the RV-sized void where their front wall and window used to be.

Fire officials later estimated the accident caused about $100,000 in damage to the home and American Red Cross personnel were later summoned to the scene to assist the two residents and their two dogs, who were displaced by the crash.

Jail records indicated Maddux was released within hours of his arrest and is scheduled to be arraigned at Riverside’s Hall of Justice, Oct. 10. Superior Court Records for Riverside County indicated Maddux has never been arrested or charged with any crimes within the county.

Moreno Valley PD is investigating the cause of the crash and their investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information related to this accident is encouraged to contact Moreno Valley PD at (951) 486-6700. Callers can refer to incident file number MV181580598 and can remain anonymous.

 

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.