Victims of deadly Interstate 10 crash in Palm Springs identified

UPDATE: The Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner has identified the victims as 39-year-old Fernando Gonzalez, who died at the scene, and 25 year-old Ernesto Vega, who passed away at Desert Regional Medical Center. Both Gonzalez and Vega were from Salinas, Ca.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Two people were killed and three others were injured when an SUV rolled over on Interstate 10 on Saturday, throwing some passengers from the vehicle.

The crash happened just after 1:00 a.m. along the eastbound freeway lanes when the driver of a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn, the California Highway Patrol said.

The vehicle was carrying six people, Three were not wearing seat belts and were thrown from the SUV, according to the CHP. One of those ejected was a 40-year-old man who was pronounced dead at the scene.

The two other men, whose ages were not immediately released, were taken to Desert Regional Medical Center, where one was pronounced dead and the other remained hospitalized with major injuries, CHP officials said. Two 50-year-old men also in the SUV suffered minor injuries, but declined treatment.

The 20-year-old driver was uninjured, the CHP said. The identities of the victims were not publicly released, but the CHP said everyone in the vehicle was from Salinas.

Investigators said neither drugs nor alcohol played a factor in the crash, but fatigue might have.

All lanes of the Eastbound Interstate 10 between Gene Autry Trail and Date Palm Drive were shut down as a result. All lanes officially reopened at 5:15 A.M.

The Cathedral City Fire Department and CHP responded to the scene.

Tune in to KESQ News Channel 3 at 4:30 p.m. and CBS Local 2 at 6:30 p.m. for the very latest.