Man killed in fiery San Jacinto wreck

SAN JACINTO, Calif. — A man was killed after a fiery San Jacinto wreck early Tuesday morning, June 16.

According to officials now investigating the fatal accident, which happened on Cottonwood Ave. west of Warren Rd., say the victim was speeding and driving on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic just before losing control and crashing.

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Deputies from the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the crash about 6:06 a.m., after receiving reports of the solo-vehicle fiery wreck, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Heath reported after the deadly accident.

When officials arrived they found a car fully engulfed in fire off the shoulder of Cottonwood Ave., with flames spreading to nearby vegetation.

Firefighters managed to quickly knock down the blaze, at which time officials discovered the body of a deceased male inside the vehicle.

The driver’s name has not yet been released, pending further investigation, positive identification, and notification of the man’s family.

Based on the circumstances, members of the San Jacinto Sheriff Station’s Collision Reconstruction Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.

During their preliminary on-scene investigation, deputies interviewed witnesses and learned a red Mercedes-Benz was driving westbound on Cottonwood Ave. just before the fiery wreck.

“(The driver) was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes at a high rate of speed, narrowly missing several other vehicles,” explained Heath.

“The driver lost control of the vehicle and struck several trees and a fence before coming to rest on the edge of a park,” continued Heath.

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During their investigation, deputies called for the temporary closure of Cottonwood Ave. at Warren Rd., and the roadway remained closed until it was re-opened around midnight.

The sheriff’s investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding this collision is encouraged to contact Deputy Cox at the San Jacinto Station at (951) 654-2702. Callers can refer to incident file number I201680013 and can remain anonymous.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.

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For more information, contact Bill Tyler at Century 21 Full Realty Service.

Contact the writer: [email protected]

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.

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