Riverside County Sheriff’s deputy suffers serious injuries in San Jacinto crash
UPDATE 5/14/23
The deputy injured in the collision has died, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced.
Details: Riverside County Sheriff's deputy dies from injuries sustained in crash
Original Report 5/12/23
A Riverside County sheriff's patrol deputy was seriously injured today in a collision in San Jacinto that also injured a civilian motorist, as well as a deputy who attempted to pull his fellow lawman to safety.
The crash happened about 2:15 a.m. at the intersection of Esplanade Avenue and State Street, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Officer Jason Montez said that the deputy, identified only as a 26-year-old man, was traveling westbound on Esplanade in his marked sheriff's SUV and entered the intersection at the same time as a Nissan Maxima going north on State.
"The two vehicles crashed in the intersection, which is controlled by traffic lights," Montez said. "After the collision, the sheriff's patrol vehicle crashed into a light pole."
The SUV was hit on the driver's side.
Montez did not specify which motorist was at fault, a determination that is expected to be made in the course of the CHP's investigation.
The deputy suffered "substantial injuries" and was taken to a regional trauma center in critical condition, according to Bianco.
He said that another patrolman who reached the location prior to firefighters arriving attempted to "extract" the injured deputy and suffered a knee injury as a result. That deputy was taken to a hospital for treatment and has since been sent him to recover, the sheriff said.
"The driver of the other vehicle was transported to a local hospital and is being treated for moderate injuries," Bianco said.
According to Montez, the 54-year-old woman at the wheel of the Nissan, identified only as a Hemet resident, suffered minor injuries and was also hospitalized.
The CHP's Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team is conducting the crash investigation. Under a long-standing sheriff's department policy, the CHP is tasked with handling independent evaluations whenever sheriff's vehicles are involved in wrecks.
