San Jacinto victim, 59, ID’d after Aguanga motorcycle crash

AGUANGA — Officials have identified a San Jacinto man who died while riding a motorcycle in the unincorporated Aguanga area Thursday afternoon, June 20. The deadly accident happened along State Route 371,  just north of Lake Riverside Dr.

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Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials have since identified 59-year-old Mark Gradilla as the victim killed in last Thursday’s solo-vehicle motorcycle crash. A coroner’s release indicated the victim passed away at the scene of the crash and was pronounced deceased at 2:10 p.m.

California Highway Patrol later reported they and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the deadly crash about 1:35 p.m.

A 59-year-old San Jacinto man was killed in a solo-vehicle motorcycle crash, on SR-371 in Aguanga. Juana Meyers‎ photo

Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighter-paramedics arrived at the scene within a few minutes and updated that Gradilla was in cardiac arrest and requested a Mercy Air Ambulance respond to airlift the victim to an area hospital. Although paramedics began CPR and other life-saving efforts in an attempt to revive and resuscitate the victim, officials eventually reported the victim had passed away and cancelled the air ambulance.

Officers who investigated the fatal crash determined Gradilla was driving his 2016 Harley Davidson northbound on SR-371 at an unknown speed when he allowed his motorcycle to drift to the right of the roadway, before traveling back onto the roadway.

As Gradilla lost control of the Harley, he was ejected from the bike onto the east dirt shoulder – sustaining fatal injuries in the process.

Although a Honda Civic was reportedly hit by debris from the solo-vehicle wreck, no other injuries were reported. No lanes were closed and although traffic initially backed up after the crash, traffic was largely unaffected as a result of the accident or its subsequent investigation.

It is unknown if alcohol or drug intoxication were contributing factors and CHP’s investigation is ongoing.

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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.