UPDATE: Drunk parolee who killed pregnant women in fiery wreck arrested

UPDATED: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 11:30 a.m.

See Original Story, Interviews, Photos and Video below.

JURUPA VALLEY, Calif. — Authorities announced today the arrest of a parolee they say was recklessly driving while under the influence of alcohol when he ran a stop light and smashed into another vehicle in Jurupa Valley early Friday evening, Sept. 25. The deadly accident happened at the intersection of Mission Blvd and Pedley Rd.

The impact of the collision caused a vehicle occupied by three women, two of whom were pregnant, to burst into flames. Both pregnant women and their unborn children died in what one witness later described as a “horrific, just awful” collision. The other woman was critically injured and remains hospitalized.

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Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies, along with Cal Fire-Riverside firefighters and other emergency personnel, were dispatched to the scene about 6:11 p.m., after receiving multiple reports of a traffic collision involving two vehicles, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Luke Torres later said of the collision.

911 callers told emergency dispatchers that one of the vehicles had burst into flames and that witnesses and good Samaritans were frantically trying to pull the trapped and injured occupants from the burning car.

When officials arrived they found two wrecked cars, later described as a grey Subaru sedan and grey Ford sedan, and fire officials updated that the Subaru was still engulfed in flames.

Authorities say a 33-year-old, San Bernardino parolee, Josue Ayala Flores, was intoxicated when he ran a red light and plowed into a car occupied by three women, including two who were pregnant. Both pregnant women and their unborn children were killed in the “horrific, just awful” collision. Birchman News Group photo

While firefighters began dousing the vehicle blaze, paramedics started treating the two woman who witnesses pulled from the driver’s seat and rear passenger seat of the burning vehicle. Despite their efforts to extricate a third woman from the front passenger seat, witnesses said they were not able to help her from the wrecked and burning car due to intense heat caused by the flames.

The driver of the vehicle that officials say caused the crash, Josue Ayala Flores, 33, of San Bernardino, was also treated at the scene for serious injuries before he and the other two victims were rushed to area hospitals with injuries ranging from major to critical.

Despite life saving measures, one of the passengers pulled from the car that burned succumbed to her injuries and passed away at Riverside Community Hospital. Although her name has not been released, a preliminary coroner’s report indicated she was pronounced deceased by hospital staff at 7:22 p.m.

A second preliminary coroner’s release indicated the female passenger who died at the scene was pronounced deceased at 6:15 p.m.

The driver of the car that burned sustained major injuries, “but she is expected to survive,” Torres said after the crash.

Ayala Flores, who was the sole occupant of the other vehicle, was also transported to a local hospital with major injuries and he is expected to survive.

Members of the Jurupa Valley Station’s Traffic Reconstruction Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation into the cause of the deadly crash.

“Further investigation in this collision determined that …Ayala Flores, who is on active parole… was driving recklessly prior to the collision and he was suspected to be driving under the influence of alcohol. 

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Based on their investigation and findings, on Sunday, Sept. 27, authorities arrested Ayala Flores and he was booked into Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and one count of driving under the influence of alcohol – causing great bodily injury. He was also charged with violation of parole.

Although Ayala Flores is being held in lieu of $4 million bail or bond for charges related to the collision, he is also being held without bail due to the allegation that he violated the terms of his parole.

Online jail records indicate he is scheduled to be arraigned at the Riverside Hall Of Justice Sept. 30.

Anyone with additional information or who witnessed this crash and has not yet provided a statement to authorities is encouraged to call Deputy Powell at the Jurupa Valley Station at (951) 955-2600. Callers can refer to incident file number JV202690115 and can remain anonymous.

Original Story: Two women killed in fiery Jurupa Valley wreck

JURUPA VALLEY, Calif. — Two women were killed in a fiery Jurupa Valley wreck that hospitalized two other victims early Friday evening, Sept. 25. Both of the victims who passed away were passengers in the vehicle that burst into flames, according to witnesses and fire officials.

The deadly crash, described by one witness as a “horrific, just awful” accident, happened at the intersection of Mission Blvd. and Pedley Rd.

Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies, along with Cal Fire-Riverside firefighters and other emergency personnel, were dispatched to the scene about 6:11 p.m., after receiving multiple reports of a traffic collision involving two vehicles, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Luke Torres later reported.

911 callers told emergency dispatchers that one of the vehicles had burst into flames and that witnesses and good Samaritans were frantically trying to pull the trapped and injured occupants from the burning car.

Officials survey the scene of a fatal, fiery wreck that killed two women Friday night. Two other victims sustained major injuries, but both are expected to survive, according to Sheriff’s officials. Birchman News Group photo

When officials arrived they found two wrecked cars, later described as a grey Subaru sedan and grey Ford sedan, and fire officials updated that the Subaru was still engulfed in flames.

While firefighters began dousing the vehicle blaze, paramedics started treating the two woman who witnesses pulled from the driver’s seat and rear passenger seat of the burning vehicle. Despite their efforts to extricate a third woman from the front passenger seat, witnesses said they were not able to help her from the wrecked and burning car due to intense heat caused by the flames.

A man pulled from the second vehicle was also treated at the scene for serious injuries before he and the other two victims were rushed to area hospitals with injuries ranging from major to critical.

Despite life saving measures, one of the passengers from the car that burned succumbed to her injuries and passed away at Riverside Community Hospital. Although her name has not been released, a preliminary coroner’s report indicated she was pronounced deceased by hospital staff at 7:22 p.m.

A second preliminary coroner’s release indicated the female passenger who died at the scene was pronounced deceased at 6:15 p.m.

The driver of the car that burned sustained major injuries, “but she is expected to survive,” according to Torres.

“The male driver and sole occupant of the other vehicle was also transported to a local hospital with major injuries and he is expected to survive,” Torres continued.

Based on the circumstances, members of the Jurupa Valley Station’s Traffic Reconstruction Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation into the cause of the deadly crash.

Witnesses later reported that the Subaru was turning onto Mission Blvd. from Pedley Rd. when the Ford failed to stop for a red light and smashed into it.

The impact sent the Subaru into a spin, where it then careened into a traffic signal pole and electrical box and burst into flames.

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Eastvale resident James Lindhall later told RCNS he was heading home from work when he happened upon the aftermath of the deadly collision.

“It was horrific, just awful,” Lindhall described; saying he was a few cars back when the crash occurred and that he and others worked together trying to rescue the trapped and injured occupants from the burning Subaru.

Everyone who stopped to help before the firefighters got there was just amazing,” Lindhall continued; adding, “We managed to pull the driver and rear passenger from the burning car, but there was no way to get the front-seat passenger out before the flames were just too much and we had to back away.”

“I can’t even imagine the horror those poor people went through,” said Lindhall. “Those are images and sounds I will never get out of my mind.”

Officials investigating Friday’s deadly wreck have said, “The Jurupa Valley Station’s Traffic Reconstruction Team is conducting a full investigation to determine the cause of the collision.” Birchman News Group photo

The Sheriff’s investigation is ongoing and officials have not yet ruled out alcohol or drug intoxication as possible contributing factors in the fatal collision.

Anyone with additional information or who witnessed this crash and has not yet provided a statement to authorities is encouraged to call Deputy Powell at the Jurupa Valley Station at (951) 955-2600. Callers can refer to incident file number JV202690115 and can remain anonymous.

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

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Birchman News Group photos above, video below.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 49, 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 30 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 18 grandchildren.

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