One dead, four injured after fatal Temecula crash
CORRECTED: The victim killed in this collision was driving westbound on Madera De Playa Rd. when this accident occurred, not northbound on Calle Contento, as originally reported.
From CHP’s incident report: “On Saturday, May 16, 2020, at approximately 1650 hours, Party # 1 (Jeffers) was driving Vehicle # 1 westbound on Madera De Playa Road and was approaching a stop sign at the intersection of Calle Contento. Party # 2 (Mills) was driving Vehicle # 2 northbound on Calle Contento approaching the intersection with Madera De Playa Road at approximately 35 mph. The northbound and southbound traffic lanes on Calle Contento were not controlled by stop signs. For unknown reasons at this time, Party # 1 failed to stop at the stop sign, causing Vehicle # 1 to pull out into the intersection directly in front of Vehicle # 2’s path of travel. Party # 2 was unable to avoid Vehicle # 1, causing Vehicle # 2’s front end to collide into Vehicle # 1’s driver’s side door area.”
-TM
TEMECULA, Calif. — Authorities say a 50-year-old woman was killed after a two-vehicle crash in Temecula Saturday afternoon, May 16.
The deadly accident, which injured four other people – ages 62, 60, 59, and 57, sending three to the hospital with minor injuries – happened at the intersection of Calle Contento and Madera De Playa Rd.
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CHP, along with Cal Fire and other emergency personnel, were dispatched to the scene around 4:50 p.m., after receiving reports of a two-vehicle traffic collision, CHP Officer Earl later reported.
911 callers told emergency dispatchers that one victim was critically injured and trapped inside her vehicle, and other victims were possibly trapped in the second vehicle.
When officials arrived at the crash site they found two wrecked vehicles, described by CHP as a 2007 Mercedes-Benz E350 and a 2018 Ford Expedition.
Officials located five victims, including one from the Mercedes and four from the Ford, and began evaluating and treating their injuries.
Based on the victims’ injuries, officials at the scene requested an air ambulance for the critically injured driver of the Mercedes and several ground ambulances for the other victims from the Ford.
After being extricated from her vehicle the driver of the Mercedes, since identified as Michelle Jeffers, 50, of Temecula, was air lifted to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, where she succumbed to her injuries and passed away several hours later.
A coroner’s release indicated Jeffers was pronounced deceased at 9:08 p.m.
The driver of the Ford and two of his passengers were eventually transported by ground ambulances to Inland Valley Medical Center where they were treated for minor injuries. A third passenger from the Ford was treated at the scene for minor injuries and declined further medical treatment, according to Cal Fire.
During their subsequent investigation, CHP determined Jeffers was traveling westbound on Madera De Playa Rd. approaching the intersection of Calle Contento in her Mercedes just before the accident.
At the same time, Darnell Mills, 60, of Murrieta was traveling northbound on Calle Contento with three passengers in his Ford and was approaching the same intersection.
The northbound and southbound traffic lanes on Calle Contento were not controlled by stop signs, according to Earl.
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For unknown reasons, Jeffers failed to stop at the posted stop sign and entered the intersection directly in front of the oncoming Ford driven by Mills, who was traveling approximately 35 mph.
Mills was unable to avoid Jeffer’s Mercedes and smashed into her driver’s side door area, according to Earl; who used the opportunity to remind area residents to pay attention to traffic signs and signals, saying, “It is imperative for traffic safety.”
CHP’s investigation is ongoing.
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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.
This can’t be correct. Calle Contento has the right of way, not Madera De Playa. Should the article read that she was driving on Madera and ran the stop sign? Because if she was on Calle Contento, she’s not the one that ran the stop sign, he did.
This doesn’t make sense, Calle Contento does not have a stop at Madera De Playa Rd. Madera De Playa Rd has the stop sign to get onto Calle Contento. The driver of the Ford Expedition has the stop sign not the Mercedes.
There are NO stop signs on Calle Contento at this intersection. The stop signs are on Medera. This article is incorrect.
The description of the cause of the crash is incorrect.
1. “CHP determined Jeffers was traveling northbound on Calle Contento in her Mercedes…”.
2. “Mills, 60, of Murrieta was traveling westbound with three passengers on Madera De Playa”.
3. “For unknown reasons, Jeffers, who was driving approximately 35 mph, failed to stop at the posted stop sign”.
4. “Mills was unable to avoid Jeffer’s Mercedes and smashed into Jeffer’s driver’s side door area”
Issues with the above statements:
A. I’ll start with #3. If Jeffer was traveling north on Calle Contento as stated in #1, she would not have a stop sign.
B. If Mills was traveling Westbound on Madera De Playa, (#2) he would have been to Jeffer’s right side and hit her Passenger side door.
C. If #2 is correct, Mills would have had the stop sign and #3 would be incorrect. Both 2 and 3 cannot be correct.
Assuming #4 is correct, the more plausible explanation is Mills was traveling northbound on Calle Contento with no stop sign and Jeffer was traveling westbound on Madera De Playa and ran the stop sign.
Sincerely
This article has been corrected, with apologies for the error in reporting.
-TM
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