Riverside man was speeding and ran stop sign before fatal crash – victim ID’d

RIVERSIDE — Officials say a Riverside resident was speeding and ran a stop sign just before losing control of his car, crashing through a fence, and smashing into the tree. The deadly single-vehicle wreck happened Thursday evening, June 21, on Howard Ave., between Cridge and Date Streets, in Riverside.

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Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials later identified Jesus Garcia as the victim killed in the crash. According to a coroner’s release, Garcia succumbed to his injuries about 40 minutes after the crash and was pronounced deceased at 9:41 p.m.

City of Riverside Police and Fire personnel, along with other emergency first responders, were dispatched to the scene just after 9 p.m., after area residents reported a major injury crash, Riverside Police Sgt. M. Lewis explained after the fatal accident.

When officials arrived they found a newer, dark-colored Chevrolet Cobalt coupe that had crashed through a fence and into a palm tree. The driver, later identified as Garcia, was extricated from the destroyed vehicle and rushed to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injures.

Based on the circumstances, members of Riverside PD’s Major Accident Investigation Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.

During their initial on-scene investigation officials determined Garcia had been traveling southbound on Howard Ave. just before the fatal crash. Garcia was driving “at a high rate of speed and failed to stop for the stop sign at Cridge St.,” said Lewis.

As Garcia’s Chevy entered the intersection, he hit a dip in the roadway causing his vehicle to go airborne across the intersection. When his vehicle landed Garcia lost control and careened off the roadway. His Chevy then crashed through a fence and hit a palm tree.

During their investigation, officials called for the closure of Howard Ave., between Cridge and Date Streets.

Riverside PD’s investigation is active and ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this collision is urged to call Riverside Police Traffic Detective B. Jones at (951) 826-8722. Callers can refer to incident file number P18-115239 and can remain anonymous.

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All photos by Steve Johnson/What is Going on in Riverside County?

 

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.