UPDATE: Murrieta Marine Sgt. who saved two women from fiery wreck last Sept. killed in I-15 crash with van, big-rig

UPDATED: Sunday, Nov. 18, 9:45 a.m.,With additional details.

UPDATED: Sunday, Nov. 18, 8:45 a.m. With Coroner’s release.

See original story below.

temecula — Officials have identified a motorcyclist killed after colliding with a mini-van and tractor-trailer big-rig combo Friday afternoon, Nov. 16. The fatal crash happened on the northbound I-15, just north of Rancho California Rd., in Temecula.

Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials identified today Gary Wilson, 33, of Murrieta as the victim killed in the collision. A coroner’s release indicated Wilson succumbed to his injuries about 15 minutes after the collision and was pronounced deceased at 4:25 p.m.

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Wilson, who was a Marine Sgt., gained nationwide attention two months ago after he helped rescue an injured woman in a fiery, multi-vehicle wreck on SR-163 in Miramar.

The crash involved at least five vehicles on southbound SR-163 near state Route 52, according to CHP.

“I was doing my job as a Marine. We’re here to serve the people. Not just during war-time, but all the time,” Wilson told ABC10 News after last September’s pile-up.

According to Wilson, he was was going to work when he saw the flames and a huge plume of black smoke rising into the air.

As Wilson pulled his motorcycle up to the scene of the crash he realized no medical or law enforcement personnel had arrived at the scene and immediately leaped into action, jumping off his motorcycle to see if he could help.

Wilson ran up to a burning car and saw a woman trapped inside the mangled wreckage of her vehicle. Despite the growing flames, Wilson broke the driver’s side window and pulled the bloodied and injured victim from her car.

“I had my jacket on and didn’t think about it. I just broke the window and pulled her out,” said Wilson.

“After the first rescue, Wilson went to the second car and pried open the female driver’s door to get her to safety,” ABC10 News reported last September.

Both women in the chain-reaction crash were taken to area hospitals, but survived the fiery wreck thank in part to Wilson’s quick thinking and heroic actions.

CHP is still investigating the cause of the deadly crash.

 

Original story: Murrieta motorcyclist, 33, killed in I-15 crash with van, big-rig

TEMECULA — A 33-year-old, Murrieta motorcyclist died in Temecula yesterday after first colliding with a mini-van and then a tractor-trailer big-rig combo Friday afternoon, Nov. 16. The deadly accident, which created a traffic nightmare for evening commuters, happened on the northbound I-15, just north of Rancho California Rd.

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CHP and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene of the crash shortly after 4 p.m., after receiving reports of a collision involving two vehicles and a motorcyclist.

When officials arrived they determined the victim, who has not yet been publicly identified pending notification of his family, had already succumbed to his injuries and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

During their investigation officers determined the victim was riding a 2012 Ducati Sport motorcycle in heavy traffic, northbound on I-15 just north of Rancho California Rd.

As the rider was splitting the number one and two lanes he went to pass a 2016 Honda Odyssey and collided with the mini-van. The impact caused him to lose control and swerve directly into the path of 2018 Volvo tractor-trailer combo, where he collided with the left rear axle of the big-rig’s trailer.

The victim was ejected off his motorcycle and he landed in the number four lane, where he later died.

CHP’s initial on-scene investigation lasted several hours and by 6 p.m., motorists were reporting significant delays of more than an hour. Although some of the freeway’s lanes remained open during the investigation, the freeway was not fully re-opened until just before 8 p.m.

No other injuries were reported and CHP’s investigation into the cause of the deadly crash is ongoing.

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

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year 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 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.