Emergency personnel responded to a three-vehicle traffic collision just after 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, on Highway 74 north of Vista Point.
Michael Kaplan, 54, of La Jolla, driving a Dodge Avenger westbound, attempted to pass — over double-yellow lines — Michael Rein, 69, of Idyllwild, driving a Subaru Forester, according to California Highway Patrol’s Indio office.
Angel Vasquez, 19, of Desert Hot Springs, driving a Chevy pickup, collided with the Avenger. His passenger, Roman Moran, 36, of Indio, suffered major injuries. Kaplan also suffered major injuries, according to CHP.
However, Riverside County Fire responded to the crash and its report differed in that injured patients transported consisted of one major, one moderate and two minor. Mercy Air transported the critically injured patient and ground ambulances transported the other three to an area hospital.
In another collision last Sunday at 3:45 p.m. on Highway 74 west of Devil’s Ladder Road, Jenise Murasko of Idyllwild, driving a 1998 Mazda 66, collided with Aaron Cook of Blockton, Iowa, driving a 2008 Chrysler 300, according to CHP Public Information Officer Darren Meyer. Meyer said the vehicles sustained moderate damage but no one was injured, and no cause was given in the report.
Jack Clark contributed to this story.