A 5-month-old girl was ejected from a Porsche that went over the side on Highway 74 near Vista Point above Palm Desert. The Porsche was a two-seater and it appears the passenger in the vehicle was holding the infant girl, who was not properly restrained. The 5-month-old child, identified by the Riverside County coroner as Armani Green, died at the scene.
According to the California Highway Patrol Indio report, Marcus Green, 51, of Thermal, was driving a 2015 Porsche 911 coupe eastbound on Highway 74 at 8:08 a.m. Sunday, May 1, when, for unknown reasons, the vehicle collided with the mountain and crashed through a metal guard rail. It careered about 200 feet down the side of the mountain before coming to rest. Both Green and his passenger, Kristen Lauer, 22, of Rancho Mirage, suffered serious injuries in the incident and were transported, first by helicopter then by American Medical Response ground transport, to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs.
The incident closed Highway 74 to vehicular traffic in both directions until about 2 p.m., according to CHP.
In other incidents on Hill roads, at 11:25 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, Jose Lopez, 31, of Idyllwild, was driving a 2005 white Chevy Malibu west on South Circle Drive in Idyllwild, just north of Village Center Drive when, because of excessive speed he failed to execute a right turn and hit a stone column and gate. Lopez was not injured and no other vehicles were involved.
At 2:08 p.m. Friday, April 29, William Saine, 20, of Hemet, was driving a 1995 green Mercury Sable eastbound on Highway 74, two-tenths of a mile east of Thomas Mountain Road, when he attempted to pass a slow-moving car. Saine’s vehicle crossed over the double-yellow line and encountered a vehicle proceeding westbound on Highway 74. In attempting to avoid a collision with the other vehicle, Saine caused his vehicle to turn sharply to the right. He avoided colliding with the westbound vehicle but lost control of his vehicle and collided with a barbed-wire fence. He suffered moderate injuries in the crash and was transported to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar.
At 9:20 p.m. Saturday, April 30, Jeremy Manriquez, 35, of Idyllwild, was driving a 2006 Honda Civic west on South Circle Drive, one-tenth of a mile east of Tahquitz Drive, when he made an unsafe turning movement and his vehicle hit the right edge of the pavement and collided with a power pole. He was not injured and no other vehicles were involved.
