On Aug. 9 at 12:40 p.m., Oscar Soria Juarez, 29 of Anaheim, was driving his 2019 Kawasaki Ninja eastbound on Highway 74 west of McGaugh Road. Preliminary investigations show he crossed over the double-yellow line colliding head-on with Donald Leroy VanRiper, 69 of Hemet, who was driving his black 2004 Honda VTX 1300 westbound on Highway 74 with his passenger Diane Haering, 79 of Hemet. Juarez was transported to Riverside University Health Systems Medical Center by AMR with major injuries. Haering was transported by Mercy Air to Riverside University Health Systems Medical Center with major injuries. VanRiper was pronounced deceased at the scene and was transported by the Riverside County Coroner. The Honda was towed by Idyllwild Garage. The owner of the Ninja made arrangements for the bike to be removed from the scene. Alcohol and drugs were not suspected as a contributing factor. The cause of the deadly collision is still under investigation.
Photo by Jenny Kirchner
There were four collisions (including two photos), one resulting in a fatality, on local roads and Highway 74 over the last week and a half, according to California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Matt Napier.
On Aug. 3 at 7: 35 p.m., Chayton Martone Kenyon, 17 of Idyllwild, was driving his gray 2007 Mazda 3 westbound on Highway 74 just east of Dry Creek at a stated speed of 60-65 mph. Due to his unsafe speed, Kenyon lost control, crossed the double-yellow line and collided with Endellion Ann Murphey Trento, 18 of Idyllwild, driving her gray 2006 Subaru Impreza eastbound on Highway 74 at a stated speed of 35 mph. Trento was transported by AMR to Riverside University Health Systems Medical Center with a suspected broken leg. Kenyon was complaining of pain to his left arm but was not transported. Both vehicles were towed by Idyllwild Garage.
On Aug. 3 at 8:45 p.m., Christie Anne Colbert, 34 of Oceanside, was driving her black 2019 Toyota 4-Runner west on Overlook Drive. According to the California Highway Patrol, Colbert stated she was driving too fast, and due to her unsafe speed, made an unsafe turn and lost control hitting two vehicles parked in a private driveway. One was a silver 2017 Toyota Tundra, the other a white 2009 Toyota Highlander. No one was injured in the incident. Colbert’s vehicle was towed by Idyllwild Garage and the two parked vehicles were left at the scene.
Photo by Jenny Kirchner
On Aug. 3 at 8:10 p.m., Edward Reyes Loredo, 35 of La Quinta, was driving his blue 2011 Honda Civic westbound on Highway 74 just west of Carrizo Road at a stated speed of 45 mph. Brian Steven Torrez, 19 of National City, was driving his black 2005 Saturn Ion eastbound at a stated speed of 35 mph. For unknown reasons, Loredo lost control, crossed the double-yellow line into the eastbound lane colliding head-on with Torrez. Loredo was uninjured. Torrez was transported by AMR to Desert Regional Medical Center for lacerations. Both vehicles were towed by Valley Auto.
Riverside County Executive Officer Jay Orr began his mid-year review report to the Board of Supervisors describing the optimism in Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent 2014-15 budget submission, but didn’t portray the same enthusiasm for the county’s next budget. The county’s fiscal situation, while better than the past five years, only improves at a snail’s pace….
According to the 2010 census, 21.6 percent of Idyllwild’s residents have reached the milestone age of 65 that qualifies them as seniors. Right behind them are 32.1 percent more in the 50 to 64 age group. If my math is on target, more than 50 percent of our population can be called older adults.
By David Jerome Contributing Editor Press Enterprise journalist and author Carl Love will be speaking and signing books at two events this week in support of the release of his third book, Our Idyllwild. He will be at the Idyllwild Library at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30, and at the Rustic Theater at 10:30…
The Idyllwild Grinding Facility will be closed Saturdays from Dec. 1, 2012, through April 30, 2013. Saturday operations will resume May 4, 2013. Monday through Friday operations will continue uninterrupted and green waste will be accepted between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. For more information, contact Riverside County Waste Management Department at…
Highway 74 between Mountain Center and Hemet was closed for several hours on Friday morning, April 4, due to a head-on collision west of the Strawberry Creek bridge. Johnathon Torres of the CHP provided these details: The crash occurred just after 10 a.m., three miles west of Gaugh Road, MM 53. A westbound 2021 Subaru…
Editor’s Note: Weather damage to Hill infrastructure, residences and businesses is an ongoing story the Town Crier will follow. Nearly three weeks after heavy rains and snow damaged Hill infrastructure causing flooding and road closures, residents and businesses are struggling to regain footing in the aftermath. Many are waiting – for cleanup assistance, repairs to…
