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.
At 6:41 p.m. Wednesday, May 9, Sabrina Garcia, 25, of San Jacinto, driving a black 2002 Mercedes westbound on Highway 74, east of Bee Canyon Truck Trail, allowed her vehicle to drift onto the north dirt shoulder of Highway 74. The vehicle collided with the dirt embankment and overturned back on to the roadway. The…
At 12:24 p.m. Sunday, May 6, a rear-end collision took place on Highway 74, one-tenth of a mile east of the intersection of Highway 371. Karin Vega, 22 of Mountain Center, while riding west on a green 2013 Kawasaki Ninja traveling 40 miles per hour, struck the rear of a Four Winds trailer attached to…
Two students from Idyllwild School, Rory Lovette Jensen (third place) and his older sister Natalie Lovette Jensen (fourth place), placed in the top four at the Hemet Unified School District annual spelling bee on Jan. 24. In total, 46 students participated ranging from grades four to eight. For students to get into the district spelling…
Revises rules and regs for operations At the June 15 meeting of the Fern Valley Water District, General Manager Victor Jimenez told the board he planned to announce Water Conservation Stage 2 on Monday, June 18. “I’m making this recommendation, not because wells are showing major drops, but because of the lack of moisture this…
Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz stopped by the Town Crier late afternoon on Tuesday, Aug. 7, to deliver a personal letter to the editor, Becky Clark, regarding action he’s taken over her concerns for tariff costs levied on newsprint, and an interview to outline current issues beginning to surface post-Cranston Fire. “Today’s purpose was to help…
CAL FIRE Unit Forester Chief Gregg Bratcher delivered some good news — federal grant extensions — and some bad news — more Goldspotted oak borer infested oak tree …