Nissan driver fatally ejected after speeding Tesla runs Moreno Valley light, plows into hatchback
MORENO VALLEY, Calif. — Officials say a speeding Tesla that ran a red light in Moreno Valley smashed into a hatchback, causing the second vehicle to overturn late Tuesday night, July 6. The hatchback’s driver was killed when they were ejected from their rolling vehicle.
The deadly accident, which sent three other people to the hospital with minor injuries, happened at the intersection of Cactus Avenue and Indian Street, according to officials who say alcohol and/or drug intoxication had not yet been ruled out as possible contributing factors in the fatal crash.
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Deputies from the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station, along with CAL FIRE-Riverside and other emergency personnel, were dispatched to the intersection just before midnight after receiving reports of a major injury traffic collision, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Robert Grmusha later reported.
When officials arrived they found a heavily damaged, grey Nissan Versa overturned on its roof in the roadway, with vehicle parts, debris and personal belongings scattered across the entire intersection and blocking all four directions of travel. Officials also found a black Tesla Model S that had plowed through a cinder block wall and come to rest in the back yard of a private residence.
The driver of a Nissan Versa was fatally ejected after their vehicle was struck by a speeding motorist who failed to stop for a red light at the intersection of Cactus Avenue and Indian Street in Moreno Valley late Tuesday evening. Johnny Lopez/Lone Wolf Media – OnScene TV photo
Officials found the driver and sole-occupant of the Nissan had been ejected in the collision and sustained severe, life-threatening injuries. Despite life-saving measures by deputies and paramedics, the driver succumbed to their injuries and passed away at the scene.
The victim’s name has not been released, pending notification of their family.
The driver and two passengers from the Tesla were found to have minor to moderate injuries and were transported to a local area hospital for medical treatment.
Based on the circumstances, members of the Moreno Valley Sheriff Station’s Traffic Collision Reconstruction Team responded to the location and assumed the investigation.
“Information obtained during the investigation revealed the Tesla was traveling northbound on Indian Street, at a high rate of speed, when it failed to stop for a red signal light, colliding with the Nissan as it traveled eastbound on Cactus Avenue, through the intersection with a green signal light,” Grmusha described.
“The collision resulted in the Nissan rolling-over and sliding several feet on its’ roof, causing the driver to be ejected before settling within the northbound lanes of Indian Street,” the Sergeant continued. “At the same time, the collision caused the Tesla to veer off the roadway and crash through a cinderblock wall before coming to a rest in the backyard of a residence, located on the 24500 block of Tuscarora Circle.”
There were no injuries reported by the residents of the location.
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Due to the collision investigation and the need for extensive cleanup, a temporary closure of Cactus Avenue, between Perham Drive and Sayan Drive, and Indian Street, between St. James and Glencrest drives, was required. The roadway has since been reopened.
“At this time, it remains uncertain if alcohol and/or drugs were a factor in the collision,” said Grmusha; adding that the Sheriff’s investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information about this investigation or who witnessed the deadly collision and has not yet provided a statement to authorities is encouraged to call Deputy Kevin Seguin of the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station at (951) 486-6879 or the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at (951) 776-1099. Callers can refer to incident file number MV211870388 and can remain anonymous. Tipsters can also leave anonymous information on the Sheriff’s Crime Tips Online Form.
Persons who wish to report criminal activity and wish to remain anonymous can call crime stoppers at 800-78-CRIME (800-782-7463) or 800-47-DRUGS (800-473-7847).
This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 50, 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.