Mourners bid final farewell to Coachella Valley firefighter

A memorial service will be held today in Murrieta for Riverside County firefighter Christopher Douglas, who was struck by a pickup truck a week ago in Thousand Palms.

The service at The Bridge Church at 38801 Calistoga Drive will begin at 3 p.m., according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The 41-year-old Temecula resident was struck around 9:40 a.m. on July 5th, by a Ford F-150 on the shoulder of eastbound Interstate 10 at the Monterey Avenue onramp, where his engine truck was stopped.

The engine stopped so firefighters could put on their gear, California Highway Patrol Officer Stephanie Hamilton said. He and his crew were responding to a rollover crash on I-10 near Washington Street, Hamilton said.

Douglas, an eight-year Riverside County Fire Department veteran based at Fire Station 35 in Thousand Palms, was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he died about three hours later.

The driver who struck Douglas, 60-year-old William Trimboli of Thousand Palms has cooperated with authorities.

No criminal charges were filed as of late Thursday, according to court records, and Hamilton said it was unclear if he’d face charges.

Douglas, a firefighter for almost 10 years, is survived by his wife, Amy, who is pregnant, and 2-year-old son, Samuel.

Donations for the family can be made online at https://firefamilyfoundation.org or mailed to the Fire Family Foundation, 815 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90041.