Woman identified in deadly Indio freeway collision
The California Highway Patrol was investigating a collision involving a van and a pedestrian that left one person dead early Tuesday morning in Indio.
A woman was walking across Interstate 10 freeway lanes when she was struck by a van near the Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino just west of the Highway 86 interchange.
The Riverside County Coroners Office identified the woman as Teresa Fierro, 36, of Calexico.
The collision happened at 4:20 a.m.
California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Radford, said a 2006 Ford E-350 van was just east of Golf Center Parkway when the woman walked directly in front of the vehicle.
Fierro was pronounced dead at the scene, Radford said.
A San Jacinto man was driving the van, which had six others inside as passengers. None were injured.
News Channel 3 has learned from a prison employee the van was taking workers to the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison east of the Coachella Valley, part of a daily van pool.
The freeway is near an area popular for homeless people to camp out. Witnesses say they often see people crossing the freeway there to get to the nearby casinos.
A freeway lane was shut down for several hours, but reopened later Tuesday morning.
