The California Highway Patrol updated its investigation and report of an incident on Saturday, Nov. 19, involving a car driven by Ed Hansen, 66, of Idyllwild that struck Cynthia Hinds, 55, also of Idyllwild, at around 5:05 p.m.
According to CHP Public Information Officer Darren Meyer, Hinds was on her property, “in her front yard planter area” adjusting a landscape feature when Hansen failed to properly negotiate a left curve on North Circle Drive near the intersection with River Road. Hansen’s vehicle struck Hinds before coming to rest on a large rock landscape feature on Hinds’ property. The initial CHP report had indicated Hinds was a “pedestrian,” seeming to indicate she was on the roadway. Subsequent investigation revised that information.
According to the report, Hansen was not cited but the case was referred to the Department of Motor Vehicles for “re-evaluation” of Hansen’s driver’s license.
Hinds and husband Rick had just finished renovating existing buildings to create Strawberry Creek Village vacation rentals when the incident occurred. A planned open house and scheduled rentals have been blocked until the first of the year because of Hinds’ injuries.
Winter conditions contributed to at least one Hill traffic incident over the last week.
On Wednesday, Nov. 23, at an unknown time, an unidentified individual was driving a silver 2004 GMC Sierra south on Highway 243 just south of Penn Way when for unknown reasons the individual lost control, veered to the right, and went off the roadway and 150 feet down the mountainside, overturning several times in the descent. The vehicle came to rest on its wheels but the individual fled on foot. The vehicle was registered in Redlands.
At 5:05 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, Milton Gomez, 26, of Hemet, was driving a 2007 blue Honda Civic westbound on Highway 74, three-tenths of a mile west of May Valley Road, when he failed to execute a left curve in the road, drifted to the right and collided with a tree. A passenger in the right front seat, Asia Evans, 21, also of Hemet, complained of pain and was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. No drugs or alcohol were involved. Gomez was not injured or transported, and no other vehicles were involved in the incident.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, Michael Irvin, 29, of La Quinta, was driving his gray 2016 Mazda3 westbound on Highway 74 in the 53000 block when, in winter rain conditions, a white 2009 GMC Sierra struck Irvin’s vehicle and continued on without stopping. In Irvin’s vehicle was passenger Maritssa Cantu, 25, also of La Quinta. The CHP preliminary report did not indicate if anyone was injured or required transport.