Man, 84, ID’d after fatally struck using Riverside cross walk

RIVERSIDE — An elderly pedestrian died after he was struck by a pickup truck in Riverside, Monday morning, April 22. The victim was fatally struck while using a marked cross walk at the intersection of Market and First streets.

Despite witnesses and good Samaritans performing CPR at the scene and other life-saving efforts at a nearby hospital, the victim succumbed to his injuries several hours later.

LEADING THE MORENO VALLEY-AREA HEADLINES:

Woman’s body found on MV’s Box Springs Mtn Rd

Dramatic video emerges after RTA bus theft, parolee’s arrest

UPDATE: Yesterday’s death at sheriff’s training facility ruled suicide

Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials have since identified Jesus Gutierrez-Ballejo, 84, of Riverside, as the victim killed in the accident. A coroner’s release indicated he passed away at Riverside Community Hospital about four hours after the crash and he was pronounced deceased at 10:50 a.m.

City of Riverside Police and Fire Departments, along with other emergency personnel, were first alerted to the accident around 7:10 a.m. 911 callers reported an elderly man was unresponsive and not breathing after he was hit while crossing the street. Callers also told emergency dispatchers that bystanders were performing CPR on the elderly victim.

Officials soon arrived and took over life-saving efforts before rushing the victim to nearby RCH, where he later died.

Based on the circumstances, officers from Riverside PD’s Major Accident Investigation Team were called to the scene and conducted an investigation into the crash.

During their preliminary investigation, officers determined a Toyota Tacoma was traveling east on First St. just before the collision. As the driver, a San Bernardino resident, was making a left turn onto Market St. their vehicle collided with Gutierrez-Ballejo as he was crossing the street. The pedestrian was using the cross walk when he was struck, according to RPD.

Riverside PD’s investigation is ongoing and officials have not released any further information or details.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation or who witnessed the collision but has not yet provided a statement is urged to call Riverside Police Traffic Detective Soria at (951) 826-8720. Callers can remain anonymous.

---

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.