Cabazon man who crashed stolen pickup truck dies in hospital

A 19-year-old Cabazon man who was behind the wheel of a stolen pickup truck that crashed in Palm Springs died in a hospital this week, authorities said Thursday.

Anthony Hinojosa died Monday at Desert Regional Medical Center after he was ejected from a truck that overturned at 5:41 a.m. May 8 on Highway 111 at Angel Canyon Trail, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Hinojosa and his passenger, 19-year-old Justin Harper of Cabazon, were inside a 1997 Ford Ranger when, “for unknown reasons,” the truck veered to the right side of Highway 111 and overturned, said CHP Officer Mike Radford.
Neither man was wearing seatbelts, according to Radford.

Hinojosa was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center, but due to the severity of his injuries, he was not immediately taken into custody in connection with the stolen truck, Radford said. He was pronounced dead at 6:55
p.m. Monday.

Harper suffered moderate injuries and was also hospitalized.

It is unknown whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, Radford said.

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