Fatally ejected in Corona rollover crash that injured two others, Oceanside man ID’d

UPDATED: Monday, June 7, 8:30 a.m.

Writer’s Note: A video that was provided to RCNS by an outside stringer service not related to this news organization was removed from this article after it was pointed out that a short portion of the video showed the victim’s covered body on the dirt shoulder along the freeway. That fact was unknown to RCNS at the time of the video’s inclusion in the originally published article and the video – along with an associated photo – has since been removed, with sincere apologies to the victim’s family, friends and loved ones.
-TM

See Original Story below.

CORONA, Calif. — Officials have released the name of a man who was fatally ejected in a solo-vehicle rollover crash that seriously injured two others. The deadly accident, which was discovered by a CHP officer patrolling the I-15 Freeway, happened on the southbound side of the highway, just south of Cajalco Road.

Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner officials have since identified Douglas Richards, 19, of Oceanside, as the man killed in the crash. A coroner’s release indicated he was pronounced deceased at the scene at 12:57 p.m.

Officials have not released any further details in their ongoing investigation.

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Original Story: Man fatally ejected in Corona rollover crash that injured two others

CORONA, Calif. — Authorities say a man was fatally ejected in a solo-vehicle traffic accident that sent two other victims to the hospital early this morning, Saturday, June 5th. The deadly accident, which happened on the Southbound 15 Freeway, just south of Cajalco Road, was discovered by a passing CHP officer.

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At around 12:30 a.m., a CHP – Inland Division officer was conducting routine patrol along the 15 Freeway when he happened upon a single vehicle rollover accident involving a Toyota Tacoma. The pickup truck appeared to have overturned multiple times before coming to rest on its wheels, along the highway’s right-hand shoulder. 

After requesting additional resources to the scene, the officer located a critically injured victim who had been ejected from the pickup truck.

Despite life-saving efforts by Corona Fire Department firefighters and paramedics who responded to the scene, the ejected victim succumbed to his injuries and passed away on the side of the freeway. His name has not yet been released, pending notification of the man’s family.

Two other victims of the crash were transported by ground ambulances to nearby trauma centers with unknown injuries.

Officials have not specified if the man killed in the crash had been driving or was a passenger in the Toyota, or if the man had been wearing a seatbelt when the accident occurred.

SEE ALSO: “Miraculous survival” after teen driver swerves to avoid oncoming car, plummets 200 feet in Igo

During their investigation, officers called for the temporary closure of several southbound lanes of the freeway, which were later re-opened at the conclusion of CHP’s initial on-scene investigation.

Officials are still working to determine if alcohol or drug intoxication were contributing factors in this morning’s fatal accident and their investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.

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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.