UPDATE: Victim, 26, ID’d after SJ head-on crash between big-rig, car

UPDATED: Monday, Aug. 12, 2:04 p.m., With coroner’s release of information and other details.

See Original Story and photos below.

SAN JACINTO — Officials have identified a man who died as a result of a two-vehicle, head-on crash involving a passenger vehicle and big-rig, early Saturday morning, Aug. 10. The fatal crash happened on Ramona Expressway near Bridge St.

SEE RELATED: Ramona Expressway claims another life after 2-car wreck

Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials today identified 26-year-old, Danny Joya, of San Jacinto, as the man killed in Saturday’s crash. A coroner’s release indicated Joya succumbed to his injuries at the scene and was pronounced deceased at 4:24 a.m.

In the two days since Saturday’s deadly collision, another fatal crash happened along the same stretch of Ramona Expressway, early this morning, Monday, Aug. 12. The victim killed in that collision has not yet been publicly identified, pending further investigation and notification of the person’s family.

Officials are still investigating the causes of the two crashes.

Original Story: One dead after SJ head-on crash between big-rig, car

SAN JACINTO — Authorities are investigating the cause of a two-vehicle, head-on collision between a big-rig and passenger vehicle that left one person dead at the scene this morning, Saturday, Aug. 10.

Today’s fatal crash, which left both vehicles heavily damaged and the sedan upside down on its roof, happened on Ramona Expressway east of Bridge St.

LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:

Pedestrians, 71 and 85, killed in separate accidents along same section of Hwy 74

Murrieta welfare check leads to double murder investigation – Man arrested

4, including 2 medics and patient, hospitalized after rollover crash

Man found dead inside Menifee home after hours-long standoff

CHP, Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire and Riverside County Sheriff’s Departments, along with other emergency personnel, were dispatched to this morning’s deadly collision around 4:10 a.m., according to CHP and Cal Fire officials.

When officials arrived they found a heavily damaged M&H Transport Inc. tractor-trailer big-rig disabled in the middle of the roadway. M&H Transport’s headquarters is located in Moreno Valley, just five miles from where this morning’s accident happened.

A white sedan involved in the fatal head-on collision was barely recognizable after the deadly crash. John Strangis/RMG News photo

A heavily damaged and barely recognizable white sedan was about 100 yards away, upside down and on its roof in a field adjacent the road.

A person’s lifeless body could be seen inside the mangled wreckage of their car and firefighters used the “Jaws of Life” to perform an extensive extrication to remove the victim’s body from the sedan. The driver was later pronounced deceased at the scene. The victim’s name has not been released, pending further investigation and notification of the person’s family.

The driver of the big-rig was evaluated by paramedics at the scene but was uninjured and declined further treatment. 

As their investigation was getting underway, officials reported that debris was spread across 200 yards of the roadway, and that despite the extensive wreckage, vehicles were continuing to drive “through the area at high speeds,” according to a CHP incident log.

The driver of a sedan was killed after colliding head-on with a tractor-trailer semi-truck while traveling on Ramona Expressway early this morning. John Strangis/RMG News photo

To ensure the safety of emergency personnel working at the scene, officials called for the full closure of Ramona Expressway in both directions, between Bridge St. to N. Warren Rd., and officers began diverting early morning commuters and other motorists away from the scene of the accident onto other nearby roads.

The roadway remained closed for several hours and created a traffic nightmare for those trying to get to work or reach their destinations.

Contacted early this morning for more information about the deadly collision, a CHP representative reported they are still investigating the cause of the crash and their investigation is ongoing.

Click any image to open full-size gallery

John Strangis/RMG News photos

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 currently writes for or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, the (now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Hemet & San Jacinto 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.

tagged with , , , , , , , ,