Coroner says victim still unidentified after fiery Moreno Valley wreck

MORENO VALLEY, Calif., — Authorities say a victim was killed in a solo-vehicle, head-on crash into a tree Sunday morning, May 29. The deadly crash happened in the area of Perris Boulevard/Reche Vista Drive, between Heacock Street and Canyon Vista Road, in the city of Moreno Valley, according to officials.

Contacted this morning for further information, a Sheriff-Coroner’s representative told RCNS that the victim, believed to possibly be a male from the Moreno Valley area, remains unidentified and that the person’s family has not yet been contacted or notified regarding the fatal accident.

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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 around 9:37 a.m. after receiving reports of a major-injury traffic collision with entrapment, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Chad Craig has since said of the fatal crash.

When officials arrived, they found a BMW 3 Series sedan fully engulfed in flames with a person trapped inside the burning vehicle.

Although multiple witnesses and good Samaritans attempted to help the driver of a BMW who was left trapped inside their wrecked and burning vehicle, the victim could not be saved and perished at the scene. Moreno Valley Matters/reader submitted image

Although Cal Fire managed to quickly extinguish the blaze, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was found to have sustained “severe, life-threatening” burns and once paramedics were able to access the vehicle, they quickly determined he had already succumbed to his injuries and passed away.

Based on the circumstances, members of the Moreno Valley Station’s Traffic Collision Reconstruction Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.

Their subsequent investigation revealed the BMW was traveling southbound on Perris Blvd at a high rate of speed, when for reasons still under investigation, “the BMW veered to the right, struck a curb, and launched onto the dirt embankment where it continued for approximately 200 feet before striking a tree,” according to Craig.

While officials worked at the scene they called for the temporary, hours-long closure of Perris Boulevard/Reche Vista Drive, between Heacock Street and Canyon Vista Road; however, the roadway has since been reopened.

At this time, it is unknown if alcohol and/or drug intoxication were contributing factors in the deadly crash.

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Anyone with information about this incident or who believes they may know the victim whose remains have not yet been identified is urged to immediately call Deputy Jason Slover of the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station at (951) 486-6889 or the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at (951) 776-1099, while referring to incident file number MV221490064.

Callers can also contact the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office at (951) 443-2300 while referencing Coroner’s file number 2022-05049. As always, callers can remain anonymous.

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



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). Both are stringer organizations, providing breaking news coverage and community interest stories 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.

One comment

  • Please update me should the Identity of the victim be released. This is a sad story and I have a family member with a 3 series BMW who I have been unable to contact since the accident. I find it hard to believe they were unable to identify. Must have been license plates on the car??