18-year-old killed in Cathedral City accident identified

Authorities today identified an 18-year-oldmaintenance worker killed when he and a colleague were struck by a vehicle onCathedral Canyon Drive in Cathedral City.

He was Arthur Plata of Cathedral City, according to the Riverside Countycoroner’s office.

Plata and the other worker were near a trailer attached to a truck thatwas parked at a curb on northbound Cathedral Canyon north of Canyon ShoresDrive. Shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday, another vehicle struck the trailer, saidCathedral City police Lt. Chuck Robinson said.

Plata, who was pinned and crushed, died at the scene, he said.

“The other guy was thrown into the grass,” he said.

The injured worker, 51-year-old John Macias, was transported to a localhospital and was expected to recover, Robinson said.

The driver of the vehicle that struck the trailer, 30-year-old MitchellSanchez, stopped at the scene and cooperated with investigators working todetermine the cause of the crash, Robinson said.

Northbound Cathedral Canyon from Perez Road to Dinah Shore Drive wasclosed for the police investigation, with northbound traffic diverted to KieleyRoad, according to police.

Anyone who saw the collision was asked to call police at (760) 770-0313.