Boy killed in UTV rollover accident on Morongo Indian Reservation

A 16-year-old boy was killed today when the all-terrain vehicle he was riding with a friend overturned on the Morongo Indian Reservation just east of Banning.

Prince Waters of Cabazon was fatally injured about 1:20 a.m. when he was thrown from A 2016 Polaris side-by-side utility task vehicle (UTV) at the intersection of Morongo and Potrero roads, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Officer Darren Meyer told City News Service that Waters was a passenger on the back of the quad, which his 16-year-old friend, whose identity was not disclosed, was driving south on Potrero.

Neither victim was wearing a helmet, Meyer said.

“The driver attempted to negotiate a turn but was unable to maintain control,” the patrolman said. “The quad overturned, ejecting both the driver and passenger.”

Paramedics reached the remote location a short time later and pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

Meyer said the status of the other boy could not be confirmed, but it did not appear that he was hospitalized.

It was unclear why the teenagers were riding in the middle of the night.

The crash remains under investigation.