UPDATE: Victim, 29, ID’d after deadly Thousand Palms crash
UPDATED: Thursday, May 20, 12:06 p.m., With Coroner’s release of information.
Originally Published: Tuesday, May 18, 5:36 p.m.
THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. — Authorities have identified a man who died after a two-vehicle crash in Thousand Palms Friday afternoon, May 14. The deadly crash happened on Ramon Road east of Vista De Oro, according to officials.
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Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials have since identified Johnny Contreras, 29, of Cathedral City as the victim killed in the 3:05 p.m. collision. A coroner’s release indicated he was pronounced deceased at 3:21 p.m.
Two other victims were also hospitalized for treatment of injuries described at the time by California Highway Patrol as moderate.
The circumstances surrounding the crash were not immediately known and CHP’s investigation into the cause of the fatal accident is continuing.
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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 (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.