San Jacinto brothers, 14 & 13, ID’d after fatally crushed in crash that injured girls, 13 & 9
UPDATED: Saturday, Sept. 21, 3:10 p.m., With coroner’s release of information.
See Original Story below.
MESA VERDE — Officials have identified two San Jacinto brothers who were fatally crushed after an off-road UTV overturned while being driven by a 13-year-old San Jacinto girl last Sunday morning, Sept 15.
The deadly crash, which also injured the teen driver and another girl, 9, from Blythe, happened on the 13800 block of Mesa Dr. near Green St., west of Blythe in the unincorporated community of Mesa Verde.
LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:
UPDATE: Six arrested after Wildomar man, 31, found dead in Lake Elsinore
UPDATE: Moreno Valley man, 43, ID’d, after fatal head-on crash
One dead, two hospitalized after Perris attack – one arrested
Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s officials have since identified Eliseo Castillo, 14, and Javier Castillo, 13, as the brothers killed in the accident.
A coroner’s release indicated Javier passed away at the scene of the crash and was pronounced deceased at 12:08 p.m.
His brother, Eliseo, was life-flighted to Palo Verde Hospital’s Emergency Room in Blythe, where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later. He was pronounced deceased by hospital staff at 1:18 p.m.
CHP and Cal Fire officials had previously reported the fatal accident occurred when a 2015 Polaris RZR overturned. The off-road vehicle was being operated by a 13-year-old girl, who has not been publicly identified due to her age.
According to earlier reports, three passengers were on board the side-by-side UTV when the teenage driver attempted to make a sharp left turn, causing the Polaris to overturn onto its right side.
As the vehicle rolled onto its side, Eliseo and Javier Castillo – who were not wearing seat belts and had been sitting on top of the right rear door panel of the vehicle – according to CHP, were ejected and then fatally crushed by the overturning UTV.
The 13-year-old female driver and 9-year-old female passenger – who were both wearing safety belts when the crash occurred – suffered minor to moderate injuries. Both girls were hospitalized for treatment of their unspecified injuries after the accident. Their current conditions have not been updated.
Per California’s off-road vehicle laws, to operate a side by side UTV you must be 16 or older, or must be supervised in the vehicle by an adult authorized by the child’s parent or guardian. California law also requires all passengers and the operator to wear a safety helmet during operation.
CHP’s investigation into the cause of the deadly crash is ongoing.
Original Story: Two San Jacinto teens fatally crushed, 2 others injured in UTV crash
MESA VERDE — Four juveniles were involved in a fatal UTV crash, including two teenage San Jacinto boys who were crushed to death, Sunday morning, Sept 15. Two girls, including one from San Jacinto and another from Blythe were also injured in the deadly accident, according to CHP and Cal Fire officials.
The deadly crash happened in a dirt area on the 13800 block of Mesa Dr. near Green St., west of Blythe in the unincorporated community of Mesa Verde.
LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:
One dead, two hospitalized after Perris attack – one arrested
CHP and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the crash shortly before noon, after receiving reports of four juveniles involved in a rollover accident, CHP reported today.
Based on the severity of at least one of the victim’s injuries, an air ambulance was summoned to the scene and eventually life-flighted one or more of the critically injured victims to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs.
Two San Jacinto teenage boys were fatally crushed and two girls, ages 13 and 9, were injured after a UTV the teen girl was operating overturned.
Two of the victims, described only as 14 and 13-year-old boys – who had not been wearing safety belts when the accident happened – died from their injuries as a result of the crash. Two girls, ages 13 and 9 – who had been seat belted into the side-by-side UTV – suffered minor injuries. Both girls were hospitalized after the crash.
During their subsequent investigation, CHP determined a 13-year old girl had been driving a 2015 Polaris RZR with three passengers on board the UTV just before the deadly accident.
As she was operating the vehicle, the teenage girl attempted to make a sharp left turn, causing the Polaris to overturn onto its right side.
As the vehicle rolled onto its side the two teenage boys, who were not wearing seat belts and had been sitting on top of the right rear door panel of the vehicle, were ejected and then crushed to death by the overturning UTV, according to CHP.
The 13-year-old female driver and 9-year-old female passenger suffered minor to moderate injuries, CHP and CAL Fire later reported.
Although officials have not released the victims’ names, CHP has said all of the teens were from San Jacinto, while the 9-year-old girl is from Blythe.
Officials investigating the fatal crash have said they do not believe drug or alcohol intoxication were contributing factor in the crash, but their investigation is ongoing.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 48, 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 or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; 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 29 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.
Pingback: One dead, one critical, after Lakeview head-on crash – Riverside County News Source
Pingback: Space Investment Partners acquires Westport Plaza & Square for $18.4 million – Riverside County News Source
Pingback: Sanderson closed after SUV plows head-on into power pole – Riverside County News Source
Pingback: Victim, 13, dies after fight at MoVal middle school – Riverside County News Source
Pingback: Hemet “Zero Tolerance” operation nets 200+ arrests – Riverside County News Source