Death of 25-year-old shows COVID-19 can impact anyone

March 27, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — The death of a 25-year-old pharmacy technician from novel coronavirus has health officials warning the community that COVID-19 can be deadly for all and not just those who are elderly.

The body of the pharmacy technician was found March 25 in a La Quinta residence, said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer. The identity of the San Diego County resident is not being disclosed.

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“This is a deeply saddening reminder that COVID-19 kills the young and healthy too,” said Kaiser. “Stay safe. Keep travel and errands to essentials, and observe social distance no matter how young or well you are. Our condolences and thoughts are with everyone this pandemic has touched.”

Health officials said the individual was exposed to COVID-19 outside Riverside County and was in self quarantine in La Quinta when he died. The current eight deaths in Riverside County had been residents older than 70 and most had underlying health conditions.

The pharmacy technician had no underlying health issues.

“My deepest condolences go out to the family of the young adult who passed,” said Chairman V. Manuel Perez, Fourth District Supervisor. “The virus does not discriminate and age doesn’t matter. This tragedy demonstrates the need to stay in place. It’s safer at home.”

Currently there are more than 150 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Riverside County.

Submitted by Riverside University Health System

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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 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 16 grandchildren.