The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Coroner’s Bureau has released the identities of two individuals involved in a late-night multi-car collision, shedding light on the tragic incident that occurred Thursday morning.
Nicholas Lanni, aged 34 and a resident of Norco, was pronounced deceased at the crash site, as indicated in the coroner’s report.
Gene Kittiko, a 79-year-old Ontario resident, initially survived the collision but sadly passed away shortly after midnight at Inland Valley Medical Center.
Both families have been duly notified, according to the coroner’s bureau.
The collision, which took place just after 10 p.m. on Wednesday, involved four vehicles traveling northbound on I-15, near Indian Truck Trail, stated Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department spokesperson Maggie De La Rosa. Each vehicle sustained significant damage, obstructing at least two lanes of the freeway.
According to CHP logs, the sequence of events unfolded when a gray sedan impacted the center divider, triggering the multi-vehicle crash.
At the scene, responders found Lanni unresponsive. Despite efforts by CHP officers administering CPR until the arrival of firefighters, Lanni was pronounced deceased.
Four additional individuals suffered injuries in the collision, with one sustaining severe injuries. All were promptly transported to nearby medical facilities via multiple ambulances, according to De La Rosa.
Tragically, Kittiko, identified as the critically injured man, succumbed to his injuries approximately two hours after the collision, per the coroner’s report.
A SIG Alert was issued for northbound I-15, with traffic disruptions lasting until the early hours of Thursday.
The investigation into the crash is being conducted by the California Highway Patrol’s Inland Division.