A tragic incident unfolded Wednesday night on westbound Interstate 10 in Cabazon, resulting in the death of Joseph Rios, a 32-year-old resident of Menifee, according to reports from the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s Bureau.
Rios was pronounced deceased at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs less than 90 minutes after the 6:36 p.m. freeway collision, which occurred just west of Main Street.
The fatal crash involved a white Hyundai Sonata, in which Rios was a passenger, traveling westbound on I-10. The vehicle veered inexplicably onto the freeway’s dirt shoulder, and despite the driver’s efforts to correct the course, it collided with a tractor-trailer combination also traveling westbound, as per a preliminary report from California Highway Patrol Officer Jonathan Torres.
The impact of the collision forced the Hyundai off the freeway, ultimately colliding with a tree, Torres confirmed.
Notably, the driver of the tractor-trailer did not stop following the incident, and no vehicle description has been provided thus far.
The Hyundai’s driver sustained minor injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment, Torres stated.
Authorities have determined that alcohol or drugs do not appear to be contributing factors in the crash, according to Torres. No arrests have been made at this time.
The California Highway Patrol continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision.