DUI suspected after deadly Palm Desert crash
PALM DESERT, Calif. — Authorities investigating a deadly two-vehicle crash that fatally ejected one driver and injured two other people say alcohol intoxication was possibly a contributing factor in the fatal collision Saturday evening, July 11.
Despite life saving efforts the victim ejected from his vehicle died at an area hospital several hours after the accident, which happened at the intersection of Portola Ave. and Gerald Ford Dr., in Palm Desert.
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Deputies from the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station, along with Cal Fire-Riverside and AMR, were dispatched to the scene around 9 p.m., after receiving reports of a two-vehicle crash with a driver ejected from his vehicle, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Randy Vasquez later said of the deadly accident.
When emergency personnel arrived at the scene they found two involved vehicles, later described as a 1990 Jeep and 2019 Honda that had collided.
The driver of the Jeep had been ejected from his vehicle and sustained major traumatic injuries, according to Vasquez.
He was treated by emergency medical personnel before being rushed to Desert Regional Medical Center where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials have since identified Rafael Torres, 51, of Coachella, as the victim. A coroner’s release indicated he was pronounced deceased by hospital staff at 12:08 a.m.
“The driver of the second vehicle, a 32-year-old female of Palm Desert and her 30-year-old male passenger of Southgate, suffered serious injuries as a result of the collision and were also transported to a local hospital for treatment,” explained Vasquez; who said both are expected to survive their injuries.
Based on the circumstances, members of the Palm Desert Station’s Traffic Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.
Deputies determined Torres had been driving his Jeep eastbound on Gerald Ford Dr. just before the crash. At the same time, the female driver of the Honda, who has not yet been publicly identified, was traveling northbound on Portola Ave.
As the two vehicles entered the intersection they collided, according to Vasquez; who said, “The force of the collision caused the driver of the jeep to be ejected from his vehicle.”
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“The cause of this collision is still under investigation, but alcohol may be a factor,” the Sgt. continued.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to contact Deputy Nicole Wilhite of the Palm Desert Station’s Traffic Team at (760) 836-1600 or call anonymously at (760) 341-STOP (7867). Callers can refer to incident file number T201930074 and can remain anonymous.
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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.
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