UPDATE: Local girl, 17, ID’d after fatal Winchester rollover
UPDATED: Thursday, July 14, 10:31 a.m.
Originally Published: Tuesday, July 12, 6:43 a.m.
WINCHESTER, Calif., — Authorities say a local teen was fatally ejected from her vehicle when an SUV she was a passenger in struck another vehicle and overturned several times in the French Valley / Winchester area Saturday, July 9.
The driver of the SUV was hospitalized after the deadly accident, which occurred at the intersection of Auld and Pourroy roads, according to officials.
California Highway Patrol – Temecula, Cal Fire – Riverside, Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene around 12:40 p.m. after receiving multiple reports of a two-vehicle collision with rollover and ejection, according to CHP Officer Mike Lassig.
When officials arrived, they found two involved vehicles, described as a silver 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a blue 1996 Buick Regal blocking the lanes of travel, with vehicle parts, debris, and personal items scattered across the roadway.
Both vehicles sustained significant collision damage and the Jeep appeared to have overturned multiple times before coming to rest on its wheels in the westbound lanes of traffic.
The passenger of the Jeep was located along the north sidewalk with critical, life-threatening injuries and was found to have been ejected from her overturning vehicle, according to Lassig, who said that despite life-saving efforts she succumbed to her injuries and passed away at the scene.
The Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office has since identified Brianna Gonzalez, 17, of Winchester, as the passenger killed in the accident. A Coroner’s release indicated she was pronounced deceased at 12:56 p.m.
The driver of the Jeep, described only as a 47-year-old Winchester woman, suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar for further treatment, according to Lassig, who said she is expected to make a full recovery. It was not immediately clear how or if the driver and passenger were related.
Lassig went on to say that the teen killed in the accident was in the right front passenger seat of the Jeep, which had been traveling eastbound on Auld Road just before the deadly collision.
As the Jeep entered the intersection the SUV collided into the Buick, which was being driven by a 21-year-old Moreno Valley man who had been preparing to make a left turn onto Auld Road from southbound Pourroy Road.
“For an unknown reason at this time, the Jeep collided with the Buick, causing the Jeep to overturn several times and eject the victim onto the north sidewalk,” Lassig explained.
The Buick driver was uninjured in the collision and remained at the scene and is continuing to cooperate with CHP’s investigation.
During their accident investigation, CHP called for the temporary partial closure of the intersection, which remained closed for several hours.
CHP’s investigation is ongoing, and anyone with further information regarding this accident is asked to contact the CHP – Temecula Office at (951) 506-2000. Callers can refer to incident file number 9685-2022-00932 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.
All for the lack of a seat belt…