DUI & excessive speed suspected after car launches into Moreno Valley tree, killing local man, 25
MORENO VALLEY, Calif., — Authorities say driving under the influence and excessive speed are suspected as contributing factors after a man was killed in a solo-vehicle crash in Moreno Valley Wednesday evening, March 9.
The victim was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt when the accident occurred on Box Springs Road, east of Clark Street.
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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 scene shortly after 8 p.m. after receiving the report of a major injury traffic collision, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Robert Grmusha later reported.
When officials arrived, they found a black, 2017 Nissan Sentra that had crashed into a tree. Upon closer inspection, officials located the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle deceased in the back seat of the wrecked car. Reports from the scene indicate he had not been wearing a seatbelt when the accident occurred.
A Moreno Valley man was killed after his speeding vehicle struck a curb and was launched into a tree. Alex Fernandez photo
Accident investigators and the Riverside County Sheriff – Coroner’s Office were able to identify the driver killed in the crash as 25-year-old Jose Velasco, Jr., of Moreno Valley.
Based on the circumstances, members of the Moreno Valley Station’s Traffic Collision Reconstruction Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.
“The preliminary investigation revealed the Nissan was traveling eastbound on Box Springs Road at a high rate of speed when, for a yet to be determined reason, lost control and careened across the westbound lanes of travel, colliding with the curb on the northside of the roadway,” explained Grmusha.
“The collision with the curb caused the Nissan to launch up an embankment and into a tree, before coming to rest in the westbound lanes of Box Springs Road,” the Sergeant continued.
“It is unknown if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the collision, but was suspected based on evidence recovered during the investigation,” he added.
While officials worked at the scene they called for the hours-long closure of Box Springs Road, between Clark Street and Pine Cone Lane, in order to process the scene and collect additional evidence. The roadway has since been re-opened.
The Sheriff’s investigation is continuing and anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to call Deputy Michelle Shamhart of the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station at (951) 486-6887 or the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at (951) 776-1099. Callers can refer to incident file number MV220680388 and can remain anonymous.
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). You can also leave anonymous information on the Department’s Crime Tips Online Form.
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.