Suspected DUI driver killed, passenger seriously injured, after crash into Corona tree

CORONA, Calif., — Authorities say a motorist has died after a solo-vehicle DUI-related crash in Corona Thursday evening, Feb. 10. The deadly accident, which sent another person to the hospital with serious injuries, happened near the intersection of East Sixth Street and South Promenade/Magnolia Avenue.

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City of Corona police and fire personnel were dispatched to the scene around 7:10 p.m. after receiving reports of a solo vehicle crash.

When officials arrived, they located a grey Chrysler sedan that had sustained significant damage from colliding into several fixed objects, including a tree.

The driver and passenger were transported by ground ambulance to Riverside Community Hospital for treatment. While at the hospital, the driver later succumbed to his injuries and passed away. The passenger’s medical condition had not been updated as of this report.

The Riverside County Sheriff – Coroner’s Office has since identified Manuel Lopez, 34, of Riverside, as the person killed in the crash. A Coroner’s release indicated he was pronounced deceased at 8:38 p.m.

Based on the circumstances, members of the Corona Police Department’s Collision Reconstruction Team (CRT) responded to the collision and assumed the investigation, and officials have since said that alcohol and/or drug intoxication may have been contributing factors in the collision.

SEE ALSO: Boy, 12, airlifted with serious head injuries after offroad vehicle crash in Menifee neighborhood

Corona PD’s investigation is ongoing and anyone who may have witnessed the collision is encouraged to contact Motor Officer Drylie at (951) 736-2355. Callers can refer to incident file number 22-08973 and can remain anonymous.



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.