DUI suspected after fiery Jurupa Valley wreck

JURUPA VALLEY — Good Samaritans are being credited with saving the lives of two people left trapped inside the burning wreckage of a vehicle that overturned and burst into flames in Jurupa Valley late Saturday evening, Jan. 26. Other motorists and witnesses pulled the two victims from their burning vehicle after the driver ran a red stop light, plowed into another vehicle, and then smashed into a light pole, in the area of Limonite Ave. and Pats Ranch Rd.

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Deputies assigned to Jurupa Valley PD and other emergency personnel responded to the wreck about 10:55 p.m., after receiving reports of a major-injury traffic collision, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Raemie Wood later explained.

By the time officials began arriving at the scene, witnesses had already rescued both occupants from the wrecked and burning vehicle. The pair was treated by paramedics at the scene before AMR transported both occupants to an area hospital for further treatment. Raemie described the occupant’s injuries as serious.

Based on the circumstances, Jurupa Valley PD’s Traffic Collision Reconstruction Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. 

“The preliminary investigation revealed a vehicle traveling westbound on Limonite Avenue at a high rate of speed, ran the stop light at the Limonite Avenue and Pats Ranch Road intersection, collided into a vehicle traveling southbound on Pats Ranch Road, and then into a light pole,” explained Raemie. “When the vehicle struck the light pole, it immediately caught on fire.”

Jurupa Valley PD’s investigation is ongoing; “however, it appears that alcohol impairment appears to be a contributing factor in this collision,” said Raemie.

Anyone with additional information to contact Deputy Petersen at the Jurupa Valley Station at (951) 955-2600. Callers can refer to incident file number JV190260201 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

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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.