Victim, 57, ID’d after deadly I-10 crash

CABAZON — Officials have identified a woman who died while firefighters worked to extricate her and two others from a heavily-damaged SUV that crashed while traveling on Interstate 10, Sunday morning, June 1. According to officials, the deadly crash happened between the Whitewater rest area and Haugen Lehmann Way on ramp

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Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials have since identified Desiree Wager, 57, of Brawley, as the victim who died in the solo-vehicle crash. A coroner’s report indicated she passed away at the scene and was pronounced deceased at 7:53 a.m.

CHP and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the crash at 7:11a.m., after witnesses reported seeing an SUV careen off the freeway and down an embankment, where it overturned and crashed into a tree, CHP later reported. 911 callers also reported as many as three victims were trapped inside the overturned Ford.

When officials arrived they found a black, 2003 Ford Explorer that had gone partway down an embankment, where it had come to rest against several trees.

Firefighters spent about an hour extricating three victims from a wrecked and overturned SUV. CHP – San Gorgonio Pass photo

Three victims were trapped inside the wrecked SUV and firefighters performed a cut and rescue operation to free the trio from the heavily-damaged Ford.

Despite life-saving efforts the driver of the SUV, later identified as Desiree Wager, succumbed to her injuries and passed away at the scene before firefighters could extricate her from her SUV.

Firefighters did eventually manage to extricate two passengers from the vehicle, later identified as Sharon McEvoy, a 76-year-old woman from Oregon, as well as the deceased victim’s husband, Wayne Wager, 61, from Brawley. Both were rushed to Desert Regional Medical Center with moderate injuries, according to CHP.

Sunday’s crash took the life of one of three occupants from an SUV that overturned and crashed into a tree. CHP – San Gorgonio Pass photo

During their subsequent accident investigation, CHP determined the driver killed in the crash had been traveling westbound in the number four lane at approximately 70 mph.

“For reasons yet to be determined, she allowed her vehicle to drift off the north road edge and onto the north dirt shoulder, CHP explained. “The vehicle went over the north dirt embankment and collided with a tree.”

The number 4 lane was closed for about one hour as CHP personnel investigated the collision scene and removed the damaged vehicle.

All three people had been wearing seat belts and alcohol, drugs, distraction, mechanical failure and/or fatigue have not been ruled out as contributing factors in the cause of this collision. CHP’s investigation is ongoing.

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.

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