Two ejected, one dead, after six-vehicle DUI crash in Corona
CORONA, Calif. — A woman was killed when she and another man were ejected from their vehicle when a speeding and alleged drunk driver plowed into their van Saturday evening, April 17.
The deadly collision, which involved a total of six vehicles, happened on the eastbound SR-91, about one-quarter mile east of Lincoln Avenue, in Corona.
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CHP received a 911 call reporting a red minivan driving recklessly on eastbound SR-91 near SR-71 around 5:50 p.m., CHP Officer Juan Quintero has since said of the deadly accident.
“Moments later, the red minivan was involved in a multi-vehicle traffic collision on eastbound SR-91, just east of Lincoln Avenue,” said Quintero.
When officials arrived at the scene they found six vehicles that had been involved in a chain-reaction crash. The wrecked vehicles were spread across several hundred yards, with vehicle parts and debris scattered across the highway.
Two of the involved victims who had been inside a blue Chrysler Voyager van had been ejected, with one of the two suffering critical injuries.
Despite life-saving measures, one of the ejected victims succumbed to her injuries and passed away at the scene.
Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s have since identified the victim as Joan McKee, 71, of Huntington Beach. A coroner’s release indicated she was pronounced deceased at 6:04 p.m.
The ejected driver of the Chrysler and another involved driver were transported to area hospitals for treatment of their injuries, according to Quintero; who did not specify the nature or full extent of their injuries.
During their subsequent investigation CHP determined that just before the deadly collision the driver of a red Ford Windstar, driven by Adrian Reyes Antonio, a 41-year-old resident of Fontana, was traveling eastbound SR-91 in the number two lane at a high rate of speed. At the same time, the Chrysler van was traveling in the same lane, just ahead of the speeding Ford.
As traffic ahead began to slow down and the Chrysler started to brake, the Ford failed to slow down and plowed into the right rear of the Chrysler.
The force of the impact caused the Chrysler to spin in a counterclockwise direction into the number one lane, where it collided into a white Nissan Altima.
After the initial collision, the speeding Ford continued eastbound struck the right front of a GMC Terrain, that was just ahead of the Nissan, according to Quintero.
The Ford then collided into the right rear of a silver Kia Sorento, which had also been traveling in the number one lane just ahead of the GMC. The Kia was then pushed forward into the rear of a red Honda Accord.
“Due to the severity of the collision, the male driver of the Chrysler and his female passenger were ejected from their vehicle,” Quintero described. He did not specify if either of the Chrysler’s occupants were wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.
Officers contacted the driver of the Ford who caused the wreck and determined he was under the influence of alcohol and arrested him at the scene.
He was later booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of murder, DUI resulting in death, DUI, and driving on a suspended license. Online jail records indicate he remains in custody without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at the Riverside Hall of Justice April 21.
CHP’s investigation is ongoing.
Anyone who may have witnessed the deadly collision is encouraged to call the California Highway Patrol, Accident
Investigation Unit at (951) 637-8000. Callers can refer to incident file number 21-2824 and can remain anonymous.
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 (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County-based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
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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