Local teen dies in crash, DHSPD chief warns of dangers posed to teen drivers
A 19-year-old from Desert Hot Springs died Monday morning, several hours after being critically injured in a traffic collision.
According to Desert Hot Springs Police Chief Dale Mondary, Eric Gamboa appears to have run a red light at the intersection of Hacienda Avenue and Mountain View Road in Desert Hot Springs. He was broadsided by another vehicle as he was traveling through the intersection at approximately 2:00 a.m.
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Gamboa was then transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he was pronounced dead at 5:10 a.m.
The adult in the other vehicle suffered a broken collarbone. A 3-year-old was also in the vehicle, but the child was uninjured. Both were transported to an area hospital.
Alcohol, drugs, and/or distracted driving do not appear to have played a factor at this time.
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The death follows a tragic trend in the U.S., according to Chief Mondary.
“We know that’s the #1 cause of death in young people and they don’t have any more accidents than anyone else,” said Mondary. “They just have more fatal accidents – because they do not have that experience of driving.”
And this concern is not foreign to Mondary; he remembers teaching his three daughters how to drive, and how be safe on the roads.
“Driving to and from school, or to and from their friend’s house,” said Mondary. “We had a route mapped out for them.”
Chrys Goddell, a community resident, struck a similar note as the chief, expressing the need for parents keeping their kids educated on how to drive.
“Drive with them more often. Be in the car with them…as many times and as many hours behind the wheel with your kid,” said Goddell, who went on to send a message to Gamboa’s family. “My thoughts and prayers are with you – I’m sorry to tear up – I’m just really sorry it happened.”
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