California Highway Patrol reported two minor incidents on mountain roads over the last week. Public Information Officer Darren Meyer noted neither collision involved other motorists or resulted in significant injuries to the drivers.
According to Meyer, the first occurred at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at the intersection of Marion Ridge Drive and Clement Way in Pine Cove. Dillon Pulatie, 22, of Idyllwild was driving west on Marion Ridge when he lost control of his blue Toyota 4Runner after his brakes failed and ran into a parked trailer and parked car. Meyer said Pulatie said he had earlier been working on his vehicle’s brakes and had taken the vehicle out for a test run when the collision occurred. He was cited for faulty braking.
At 12:10 p.m. Friday, June 26, Dustin Easley, 22, of Oceanside lost control of his 2009 Yamaha R6 sport bike on Highway 74 just east of McCall Park Road in Mountain Center. Although Easley sustained minor injuries from laying his bike down, he refused transport.
Also on Friday, June 26, at 11:46 a.m. Cal Fire responded to a “fully involved SUV fire” at Paradise Corners Café. A Cal Fire engine out of Garner Valley, a U.S. Forest Service engine from Anza and Cal Fire 3170 in Beaumont responded as did one other U.S. Forest Service company. But since there was no danger of vegetation fire, most of the responders were canceled en route. According to Cal Fire, the fire was fully contained by 12:07 p.m.