Struck by at least two cars, Hemet pedestrian dies

HEMET, Calif. — Authorities say a pedestrian was killed after being struck by at least two vehicles in Hemet Thursday evening, Oct. 29

The deadly accident, which forced the hours-long closure of Florida Ave., happened between Taylor and Santa Fe streets.

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City of Hemet Police and Fire personnel were dispatched to the scene around 8:44 p.m., after a woman called 911 and reported an accident involving a pedestrian who had been struck by multiple vehicles.

Official radio traffic at the time indicated the 911 caller reported she had struck the victim after one or more other motorists had hit the man.

Firefighters and paramedics work at the scene of a deadly accident involving a pedestrian who was struck by at least two vehicles on Florida Ave. Thursday night. Timothy Franzese/Public Safety Incidents photo

Hemet PD officers were first to arrive at the scene and located a critically injured man down in the roadway. Firefighters and AMR medics arrived within minutes and began life-saving efforts.

Two vehicles that struck the pedestrian were also found at the scene.

Due to the victim’s injuries a Mercy Air Ambulance was requested to the scene to airlift the man to an area trauma center. However, due to an extended ETA for the helicopter, the victim was rushed by ground ambulance to Hemet Valley Hospital.

“Tragically, the pedestrian succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at a local
hospital,” Hemet Police Sgt. Dan Reinbolt later said of the deadly accident.

The victim has since identified as 29-year-old, Lorenzo Padilla, of Hemet, according to Reinbolt. A subsequent Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner release indicated Padilla was pronounced deceased at 9:10 p.m.

Members of Hemet PD’s Traffic Division responded to the scene and determined that Padilla “was walking or possibly running across Florida Ave. … and stepped out in front of approaching traffic” when he was struck by a 2020 Honda SUV which was traveling westbound.

The impact hurled Padilla into the eastbound lanes of traffic where he was then struck by a 2002 Acura.

It was not immediately known if Padilla was struck by any additional vehicles as had been initially reported by the original 911 caller.

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Officers interviewed both drivers who remained at the scene and admitted to hitting Padilla, according to Reinbolt; who said, “No DUI is suspected on behalf of the drivers who remained on scene.”

While officials worked at the scene, Florida Ave. was closed between Santa Fe and Thompson streets. The roadway remained closed for about four hours until the initial accident investigation was completed.

Anyone with further information or who may have witnessed this accident and has not yet provided a statement is encouraged to contact Hemet Police Department’s Traffic
Division at (951) 765-2400. Callers can refer to incident file number 20-8214 and can remain anonymous.

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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.