Victim, 27, ID’d after fatal San Jacinto motorcycle crash

May 31, 2019 Trevor Montgomery

UPDATED: Sunday, June 2, 10:30 a.m.

See Original Story below

SAN JACINTO — Officials have identified a motorcyclist who died after colliding with a motorist on San Jacinto Ave. early Friday evening, May 31. Although officials are continuing their investigation, Riverside Sheriff’s Department said yesterday that alcohol and drug intoxication have been ruled out, but speeding is suspected as a contributing factor in the fatal collision.

Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials today identified Jeffrey Woods, 27, of San Jacinto, as the motorcyclist who died in the collision. A coroner’s release indicated Woods was pronounced deceased by fire and rescue personnel immediately upon their arrival at the scene of the crash and his time of death was listed as 5:22 p.m.

Based on the circumstances, members of San Jacinto PD’s Collision Reconstruction Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Bryan De Loss later reported.

“Witness statements and physical evidence at the scene indicate the motorcyclist was riding northbound on San Jacinto Avenue at a high rate of speed,” De Loss explained. “The driver of the Toyota was traveling southbound on San Jacinto Avenue, entered the left turn lane and proceeded to make a left turn into the driveway located on the east side of San Jacinto Avenue (Walmart shopping center parking lot).”

“As the Toyota drove across the northbound lanes of San Jacinto Avenue the motorcycle collided broadside with the vehicle,” De Loss continued.

The impact sent the Toyota spinning up and over a nearby curb and caused the rider to be launched over his handlebars. He landed 50-75 feet further up the roadway, where he passed away.

San Jacinto PD’s investigation is ongoing.

Original Story: Officials at scene of fatal San Jacinto motorcycle crash

SAN JACINTO — Authorities in San Jacinto are at the scene of a fatal collision involving a motorcycle and passenger vehicle that happened Friday, May 31. Tonight’s deadly crash occurred outside the Walmart shopping center, on the 1800 block of S. San Jacinto Ave., south of E. Commonwealth Ave.

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Deputies assigned to San Jacinto Police Department, along with Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire and AMR personnel, were dispatched to the crash around 5:15 p.m.

When officials arrived they found a heavily damaged red Toyota sedan and a motorcycle that appeared to be ripped in half. Vehicle parts and debris were scattered throughout the area and the motorcycle rider’s body was found along the sidewalk, about 50-75 feet down the roadway.

Officials remain at the scene of an accident involving a motorcyclist and sedan in San Jacinto. Will Whelan/Hemet Valley Incidents photo

Rescue personnel quickly determined the motorcyclist, who had been wearing a helmet at the time of the collision, had already succumbed to his injuries and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The elderly male driver and sole occupant of the Toyota suffered minor injuries and was later transported to Hemet Valley Hospital for further evaluation and treatment.

While officials worked at the scene, several small crowds of witnesses and curious onlookers formed around the crash site, with many discussing what they had seen and heard in the moments after the deadly collision. Several said they had witnessed the crash and said it appeared the driver of the sedan was making a left turn from southbound San Jacinto Ave. into the Walmart parking lot when the northbound motorcyclist plowed broadside into the Toyota.

The impact sent the sedan spinning up and over a nearby curb and launched the rider over his handlebars and the car’s hood. The rider landed further up the roadway where he was later pronounced deceased.

As of this report, officials remain at the scene of this accident and have called for the closure of the northbound lanes of San Jacinto Ave. They are not expected to clear the area for several hours.

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

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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.