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.
Mountain Community Fire Safe Council (MCFSC), the nonprofit organization that helps local property-owners plan and pay for home fire abatement, was among the stakeholders reporting at the March meeting of the Mountain Area Safety Taskforce. Executive Director Callie Squires provided an update on older grants that are wrapping up, and new grants and applications. MCFSC’s…
Fire log Hill fire stations responded to the following calls, Monday to Monday, Sept. 25 to Oct. 1, 2012: Idyllwild Fire Department and Ambulance Sept. 25 — Walk-in medical aid. Sept. 26 — Medical aid, Saunders Meadow Road, Idyllwild. Sept. 27 — Medical aid, Delano Drive, Idyllwild. Sept. 27 — Medical aid, Overlook Drive, Pine…
Former Idyllwild Water Department (IWD) intern Natalie Vidales wrote a letter to the district dated Sept. 17, 2019 addressing an incident that occurred in the office on Monday, Sept. 16, 2019.In her letter she writes, “On Monday, Sept. 16, 2019 at approximately 4:30 p.m. there was an incident in the front office of IWD. Someone…
At the Oct 18 meeting of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, Ordinance 927.1 (Regulating Short Term Rentals [STRs]) and Ordinance 671.22 (Consolidated fees for land use) were again on the agenda as well as the report due pursuant to Ordinance 449.251 (the STR moratorium). And more will come at the Oct. 25 board meeting….
About 4:50 a.m. Tuesday, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake occurred about 9 miles north of Cabazon. The earth trembled as far south as San Diego and west to Santa Clarita. Four other temblors followed this quake. Their magnitudes ranged from 2.2 to 3.2. The last one recorded was about 5:40 a.m. No major damage has been reported….
At its March 10 meeting, the County Board of Supervisors listened to County Executive Officer Jeff Van Wagenen’s presentation on the status of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget, and the future direction of the County’s finances. “At mid-year, the County financial picture is stable, but it is tightening,” Van Wagenen said beginning his report. As…...