Seriously burned driver hospitalized after I-15 vehicle fire in Temecula
TEMECULA, Calif., — Authorities say a motorist suffered severe burn injuries to his upper body after a vehicle fire erupted adjacent the southbound I-15 Freeway north of Winchester Road in Temecula Monday afternoon, Feb. 28.
The blaze, which spread to nearby vegetation, forced the temporary closure of the southbound I-15, with area motorists reporting delays of 30 to 60 minutes in their travel times.
LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:
Robbed of skateboard and pushed into oncoming traffic, Hemet teen critically injured – Suspects and witnesses sought
DUI alleged after Moreno Valley collision that left one dead, another behind bars
Woman who resisted purse snatcher shot outside Hemet business
Skateboard-riding Perris teen ID’d after fatally struck in Riverside
Local woman, 33, ID’d after fatal San Jacinto head-on collision
California Highway Patrol – Temecula, Cal Fire – Riverside, and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene shortly after 2:30 p.m.
With Cal Fire still working to fully extinguish a vehicle fire, CHP Officer Garcia is seen obtaining vehicle information for a car fire that occurred on southbound I-15 just north of Winchester Road. CHP – Temecula photo
When officials arrived, they reported finding a 2007 Toyota Camry that was fully engulfed in flames on the freeway’s shoulder and located a 31-year-old man suffering from major burn-related injuries.
An off-duty paramedic who stopped and raced to the injured man’s aid later said the victim had sustained burns to nearly forty percent of his body, with injuries to his hands, arms, and other parts of his upper body.
Although a Mercy Air Ambulance was launched to the scene and landed on the freeway’s southbound lanes of travel, witnesses to the incident said the injured driver was ultimately transported by ground ambulance to an area hospital for treatment of major burns to his upper extremities.
Firefighters had the vehicle and vegetation blaze under control by 3 p.m.
SEE ALSO: Memorial event celebrates life and legacy of Richard De La Cruz Sr., co-founder of Menifee nonprofit Operation Silver Star
While officials worked at the scene they called for the temporary closure of the southbound lanes of travel, but the highway was soon reopened after officials concluded their initial investigation and cleared the scene.
No other injuries were reported and CHP’s investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS), which act as stringer-news providers for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.
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.