Community tips help lead to arrest in deadly hit-and-run crash in Joshua Tree

A suspect has been arrested in a deadly hit-and-run crash earlier this month in Joshua Tree, the California Highway Patrol confirmed.

The crash happened on Jan. 14 on State Route 62, near Kerr Avenue. Benjamin Perez, 31, of Twentynine Palms was killed in the multi-vehicle crash.

On Friday, police arrested Richard Heck, 60, of Yucca Valley in connection with the crash, following an extensive investigation with tips from the Morongo Basin community.

Heck was charged with multiple charges, including felony hit and run causing injury or death, vehicular manslaughter, and no operator license. He pled guilty to all charges on Tuesday.

Heck remains in custody at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on $290,000 bail, according to jail records.

Police said Perez was driving a 2020 Nissan Sentra eastbound on State Route 62 at a high rate of speed when a dark green, Chevrolet Silverado, allegedly driven by Heck, changed lanes directly in front of the Nissan at a slow rate of speed, CHP reported.

Perez steered to the right to avoid striking the Chevrolet, but he lost control of the vehicle before striking the right front of the Chevrolet and traveling into the westbound lanes of SR-62.  The Nissan then struck a Burrtec trash truck in the right lane of westbound SR-62 before colliding into a 2023 Tesla Model Y in the left lane.

Perez was transported to Hi-Desert Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the Tesla was transported to Hi-Desert Medical Center with minor injuries and the driver of the Burrtec truck was uninjured.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates on this case.