81-year-old Indio woman killed in head-on crash

An 81-year-old woman was pronounced dead after a head-on crash Monday afternoon.

The two-vehicle crash happened at approximately 3:29 p.m. in unincorporated County land on Thousand Palms Canyon Road, about 2 miles south of Dillon Road.

According to the California Highway Patrol, Gail Bronson, 81, of Indio was driving a Toyota southbound on Thousand Palms Canyon Road. At the same time, another person was driving a Nissan on the same road traveling northbound.

"For an unknown reason, the driver of the Toyota [Bronson] unsafely veered to the right of the roadway, onto the dirt shoulder. The driver then made an unsafe turning movement to the left, causing the Toyota to travel southbound in the northbound lanes of Dillon Road. The Toyota subsequently collided head-on into the Nissan traveling in the northbound lane," reads a CHP news release.

The impact of the crash caused the Toyota to overturn. First responders arrived and found the vehicle on its roof along the dirt shoulder.

Bronson suffered major injuries and was rushed to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. She was pronounced dead about an hour and a half after the crash.

The driver of the Nisan sustained moderate injuries and was transported to Desert Medical Center by AMR.

The collision is still under investigation. CHP officials said that it does not appear that alcohol and/or drugs were a factor in the crash.

If you have any information concerning this collision, contact Officer D. Torres at the CHP Indio Office 760-772 5300.