California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Darren Meyer reported two crashes on Hill roads over the last week.
At about 1:50 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, a 2015 white Chevy Tahoe was discovered by Cal Fire responders over the side on Highway 74 just east of mile marker 54.35. The driver was no longer with the vehicle and had fled the scene.
According to the CHP report, the vehicle had been proceeding westbound, went off the north side of the road and overturned several times before coming to rest about 10 feet below the roadway. The vehicle was registered to Francine Kitchen of Palm Desert. CHP officers attempted to contact Kitchen at her residence. No one was home. Her name was not listed in a survey of local hospitals.
At 1:35 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, Patrick Zavas, 32, of Hemet, was driving a gold 1996 Thunderbird westbound on Highway 74 just east of mile marker 50 when he lost control of the vehicle, went into the opposing lane of traffic, overcorrected, hit the mountain and rolled over several times. Zavas was transported to Riverside University Health System in Moreno Valley. No other vehicles or individuals were involved in the incident.
