Local motorcyclist, 33, ID’d after fatal Hemet crash
HEMET, Calif., — Authorities say a local motorcyclist was killed when another vehicle attempted to make a left turn in front of him in Hemet on Wednesday evening, June 8.
No other injuries were reported after the deadly crash, which happened near the intersection of Sanderson Avenue and Devonshire Avenue, according to officials.
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City of Hemet police and fire personnel were dispatched to the scene around 6:45 p.m. after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting a two-vehicle collision involving a motorcyclist and passenger sedan, Hemet Police Sergeant Dan Reinbolt later reported.
When officials arrived, they located a heavily damaged yellow Suzuki motorcycle near a white 2012 Ford Taurus and found the critically injured rider down in the roadway.
The motorcyclist suffered significant, life-threatening injuries and was transported to Riverside University Health System Medical Center in Moreno Valley. Despite life-saving efforts, the rider ultimately succumbed to his injuries and passed away.
The Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office has since identified Harold Rodriguez-Berrios, 33, of Hemet, as the rider who died as a result of the collision. A Coroner’s release indicated he was pronounced deceased by hospital staff at 10:55 p.m.
During their subsequent investigation, officers determined Rodriguez-Berrios had been riding his Suzuki northbound on Sanderson Avenue when the driver of the Ford attempted to turn left into the driveway of the Splash Express Car Wash, directly into the path of the oncoming rider.
Unable to stop in time or avoid a collision, Rodriguez-Berrios’ motorcycle slammed into the passenger side of the Ford, ejecting him onto the roadway and causing his fatal injuries, according to Reinbolt, who went on to say, “There was no indication of impaired driving, and no arrests were made.”
Sanderson Avenue was closed to traffic between Devonshire Avenue and Menlo Avenue for several hours while the investigation was conducted and the roadway was cleared, but the roadway was reopened later the same evening.
Anyone who witnessed this collision and has not yet provided a statement is encouraged to contact Hemet PD at (951) 765-2400. Callers can refer to incident file number 2022-04022 and can remain anonymous.
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.