Excessive speed cited in UTV rollover that killed Cabazon teen
MORNOGO INDIAN RESERVATION — Details are beginning to emerge after a teenager was killed when he was thrown from a side-by-side off-road vehicle that overturned on the Morongo Indian Reservation, early Friday morning, June 14. Officials investigating the deadly crash have said the teenage driver was traveling too fast when he attempted to make a right turn at the intersection of Potrero and Morongo roads.
This morning’s deadly crash follows closely on the heels of another fatal Morongo Valley accident last Wednesday night that left two teens, a 17-year-old girl and 14-year-old boy dead. Three adults involved in the two car crash were hospitalized, including one driver who sustained major injuries and is suspected of having been driving under the influence when she caused the fatal collision.
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According to CHP spokesman Officer Darren Meyer, at around 1:20 a.m., a 16-year-old boy from Banning was driving a 2016 Polaris with a 16-year-old boy from Cabazon in the passenger seat.
“Neither of the boys were wearing helmets or seat belts,” Meyer explained.
As the driver of the UTV was traveling southbound on Potrero Rd., he attempted to make a right turn onto Morongo Rd., “but was traveling too fast,” Meyer continued. The UTV overturned on the pavement, causing the unrestrained passenger to be ejected onto the roadway.
The teenage victim was later pronounced deceased at the scene by paramedics. The driver was transported by AMR ground ambulance to Desert Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, according to Meyer.
Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials have since identified Prince Waters as the victim killed in the rollover crash. A coroner’s release indicated Waters passed away a half-hour after the crash and he was pronounced deceased at 1:53 a.m.
Although it was not immediately known why the two teens were driving the UTV on main roads at that early hour, alcohol and/or drug intoxication have been ruled out as contributing factors in the collision.
CHP’s investigation is ongoing.
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.