Photo by Jack Clark
Two traffic collisions, both serious, occurred on the same day on the same highway and only minutes apart.
At 12:20 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, Robert Stanislowski, 33, of Hemet, was driving his 1996 Toyota Corolla north on Highway 243 one and a quarter mile north of the intersection with Highway 74. At the same time, Norman Walker, 64, of Idyllwild, was driving his Chevy Z71 pickup south on 243.
Stanislowski came into a sharp curve at a speed higher than marked for safety, lost control, headed toward the shoulder and overcorrected. When he overcorrected he skidded back onto the roadway, crossed double-yellow lines and collided with Walker’s vehicle.
Both Walker and his passenger, Kim Walker, 61, complained of pain and were transported to Hemet Valley Medical Center. Stanislowski complained of pain and showed visible lacerations, and was also transported to Hemet Valley Medical Center.
Thirty minutes later, at 12:50 p.m., also on Highway 243, Scott Miller, 47, of Idyllwild/Pine Cove, was driving his 1996 red Toyota 4Runner south, two-tenths of a mile south of Franklin Drive when he crossed over the double-yellow lines and collided with a black 2013 Audi driven by Tara Jedson, 38, of Los Angeles.
Miller fled the scene on foot. The vehicle Miller was driving was registered to someone else. Jedson complained of pain but did not request transport. California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Darren Meyer said the incident was tagged as a “hit-and-run,” and that the investigating officer would track down Miller, who was found to have been at fault.