DUI suspected in major injury crash after car runs San Jacinto stop sign

SAN JACINTO — Two people were seriously injured, including one who underwent emergency surgery with major internal injuries, after a two vehicle crash in San Jacinto early this morning, Friday, July 19.

The crash happened when a driver failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the intersection of Lyon Ave. and Ramona Blvd., according to officials who also reported that alcohol and or drug intoxication are believed to have been contributing factors in the major injury collision.

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Deputies assigned to the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station, along with Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire and AMR, responded to the early-morning crash about 3:46 a.m., after receiving reports of a major injury traffic collision at the location, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Radek Horkel later reported.

When officials arrived they found two involved vehicles, described as a grey Toyota Corolla and a white Chevy utility truck.

The driver of the pickup truck was uninjured but both the driver and passenger of the Toyota sustained serious injures. Both victims were rushed to Riverside University Health Medical Center’s Trauma Center in Moreno Valley, where the driver immediately underwent emergency surgery for treatment of ” major internal injuries,” according to Horkel.

The passenger’s injuries were considered serious, but non-life-threatening.

During their preliminary investigation, deputies learned that just before the crash the Toyota had been traveling east on Ramona Blvd. approaching Lyon Ave. At the same time, the utility truck was traveling north on Lyon Ave. approaching the same intersection.

The driver of the Toyota failed to slow down or stop for a posted stop sign at the intersection and plowed into the utility truck, which had the right of way.

“Preliminarily, alcohol and or drugs did appear to be a factor in this collision,” Horkel explained. 

The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing.

Anyone who witnessed this collision or has further information is encouraged to contact Deputy Cortez at the San Jacinto Station at (951) 654-2702. Callers can refer to incident file number I19200009 and can remain anonymous.

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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.