Hemet man dead after solo-vehicle Riverside crash
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Authorities today confirmed a man was killed in a solo-vehicle crash when his car struck a tree on Victoria Avenue east of Jefferson Street in Riverside Monday afternoon, April 26.
There were no witnesses to the fatal crash and officials have asked that anyone who may have seen the accident to provide a statement.
LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:
City of Riverside Police and Fire personnel were dispatched to the scene around 4:13 p.m. after the City of Riverside’s Public Safety Communications Center received the report of a traffic accident involving a passenger vehicle that struck a tree, Riverside Police Department has since said of the fatal crash.
When officials arrived they found a gray 1999 Toyota Camry against a large palm tree. The vehicle’s driver and sole occupant had sustained major traumatic injuries and had already passed away at the scene, according to officials.
Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials have since identified John Howard, 61, of Hemet, as the victim killed in the crash. A coroner’s release indicated Howard was pronounced deceased at 4:28 p.m.
“During their preliminary investigation, officers determined that Howard was traveling eastbound on Victoria Avenue east of Jefferson Street when, for unknown reasons, the vehicle left the roadway and struck a palm tree in the center median,” RPD explained.
At the time of this report, it was unknown if drug or alcohol intoxication, distracted driving, or a medical crisis were possible contributing factors in the deadly accident.
Anyone with information regarding this collision is urged to call Riverside Police Traffic Detective G. Matthews at (951) 826-8724 or by email. Callers can refer to incident file number 21-0011633 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.