Two dead, two injured, after Coachella rollover crash involving big rig
COACHELLA, Calif. — Authorities say two people were killed after their vehicle was involved in a traffic collision with a tractor trailer combo that overturned in Coachella yesterday morning, Thursday, May 13.
Two other victims were hospitalized after the fatal crash, which happened at the intersection of 86 Express Way and Avenue 50.
LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:
Two – including boy, 14 – arrested after Thermal drive-by shooting
Beaumont man who jumped in front of big rig killed, suicide suspected
UPDATE: Two more 91 Freeway BB gun shootings bring three day total to six victims
San Jacinto “Quality of Life” operation yields 51 warrants, 24 arrests, 3 stolen vehicles
San Jacinto parole/probation sweep yields eight arrests, seven firearms, 108g of meth
Deputies assigned to the Thermal Station, along with Cal Fire-Riverside and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene around 10:50 a.m. after receiving reports of a traffic collision involving a red semi that had overturned onto its side and a silver sedan, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Mariano Matos III later reported.
“Deputies arrived within minutes and found both occupants of a silver sedan deceased,” Matos explained. Neither victims’ names have been released, pending notification of their families.
Two other victims were treated at the scene before both were transported by ground ambulances to an area hospital. Their injuries were described as moderate and minor.
Based on the circumstances, members of the Coachella Community Action Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.
While officials worked at the scene they called for the full closure of SR-86 at the I-10, with motorists diverted eastbound on 50th, southbound on Polk, and westbound on 52 back onto SR-86, according to a CHP incident log. The closure caused traffic to quickly back up, forcing Cal Trans to respond to the area with hard barriers, electronic message boards, cones, and re-routing signs.
As the collision investigation was continuing, a second big-rig that attempted to back up off the onramp at Dillon became stuck and another heavy duty wrecker was needed to pull that vehicle free while another wrecker worked to right the overturned big rig onto its wheels so it could be removed from the scene.
Imperial Irrigation District (IID) also responded to the scene to replace a power pole that was knocked down, according to Cal Fire. The downed pole was suspected of causing a power outage that knocked out power to more than 1,000 customers in the Sky Valley area of Desert Hot Springs.
SEE OTHER RECENT RCNS HEADLINE NEWS:
Riverside carjacking and pursuit leads to woman’s arrest
“Rolling around in traffic”, man fatally run over in Riverside
UPDATE: Missing since Sunday, elderly DHS man, 78, found deceased in Oasis
Search for gun-wielding hit and run suspects forces San Jacinto school lockdown
Social media letter to Murrieta burglar who dropped cell phone leaves area residents laughing
The Sheriff’s investigation into the cause of yesterday’s deadly crash is continuing.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident is urged to contact Deputy Nevins with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at (760) 863-8990. Callers can refer to incident file number Y211330019 and can remain anonymous.
This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.
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.