Pedestrian, 54, fatally hit while crossing Hemet street
HEMET — A 54-year-old man was hit and killed while crossing a Hemet Street early this morning, Friday, Oct. 5. The deadly vehicle versus pedestrian accident happened on Sanderson Ave. near Mustang Way.
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City of Hemet Police and Fire Departments, along with other emergency personnel, responded to the crash just before 6 a.m., after receiving reports of a collision involving a car that had struck a pedestrian.
Officials speak with a 20-year-old Hemet man who hit a 54-year-old man pushing a shopping cart across Sanderson Ave. this morning. Miguel Shannon/Epicenter News photo
When officials arrived they found the severely injured pedestrian still down in the roadway just south of the intersection.
A silver coupe was stopped in the middle of the road several hundred feet south of the intersection. The car had moderate front-end and windshield damage on its right side.
Although paramedics provided medical aid to the man he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Officials have not yet released the victim’s name, pending notification of his family.
During their preliminary investigation officers determined the driver of the vehicle, a 20-year-old Hemet resident, was driving his silver Scion FR-S southbound on Sanderson Ave. toward Mustang Way approaching a green traffic signal,” Hemet Police Lt. Eric Dickson said after the fatal collision.
At the same time the victim, who was wearing dark-colored clothing, was walking west across Sanderson Ave. pushing a shopping cart, when he was struck. The impact launched the victim into the northbound lanes of traffic, where he later died.
“Evidence at the scene suggests that he was crossing against a red ‘upraised hand’ pedestrian signal,” said Dickson, who explained, “Although this tragic incident occurred near West Valley High School, no students or school employees were involved.”
During the collision investigation, officials called for the temporary closure of Sanderson Ave. in both directions, between Thornton Ave. and Domenigoni Parkway. Sanderson was reopened about five hours later.
The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and was cooperating with the investigation. At this time there is no suspicion of DUI on behalf of the driver, according to Dickson, who said the investigation is active and ongoing.
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Miguel Shannon/OC Hawk News video
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Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of 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 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 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 14 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.