Man dead after fiery Thermal head-on wreck
THERMAL, Calif. — Authorities say one person was killed and another was hospitalized after a fiery, two-vehicle wreck in Thermal early Tuesday evening, Nov. 24. The fatal head-on collision happened near the intersection of Grapefruit and 60th Avenue, according to officials.
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California Highway Patrol, Cal Fire – Riverside and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene shortly before 5:25 p.m., after receiving reports of the fiery collision.
When firefighters arrived they reported finding two heavily damaged vehicles, later described as a white pickup truck and green SUV. Firefighters updated that the pickup was fully engulfed in flames and that a victim was trapped inside the burning vehicle.
Footage filmed at the scene by a witness showed the fiery aftermath of yesterday evening’s deadly crash. Oneyda Osuna images
After extinguishing the flames, firefighters confirmed a man, who was believed to be the sole occupant of the truck, had perished at the scene. His body was later extricated from the burned pickup.
The victim, believed to be a Thermal man in his 40s according to officials at the scene, has not yet been publicly identified, pending positive identification and notification of the man’s family.
A 65-year-old woman who was in the SUV sustained a broken leg and other injuries. She was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center and was expected to survive her injuries.
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A CHP officer at the scene reportedly told KESQ News Channel 3’s Taban Sharifi that a witness had described that the white pick-up truck “was driving erratically, ending up driving the wrong way before colliding head-on” with the SUV.
The cause of the deadly crash remains under investigation and as of this report CHP had not ruled out alcohol or drug intoxication, a medical crisis, or distracted driving as possible contributing factors in the fatal wreck.
One person died and another was hospitalized after a head-on collision in Thermal on Tuesday. Oneyda Osuna image
Anyone with information regarding this investigation or who witnessed the deadly collision and has not yet provided a statement to authorities is encouraged to contact California Highway Patrol – Indio Area Office at (760) 772-5300. Callers can refer to incident file number 201124IC00252 and can remain anonymous.
This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.
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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.