Hemet, CA — Tragedy struck in the early hours of Wednesday as a Murrieta man lost his life, and another motorist sustained severe injuries in a collision between a sedan and SUV near Hemet.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight in the vicinity of Devonshire Avenue and Warren Road, located just west of the city limits, according to reports from the Hemet Police Department.
Two vehicles, a Mitsubishi Lancer and a Nissan Pathfinder, collided on Warren Road. Regrettably, no further specific details were immediately provided by law enforcement.
Promptly responding to the scene, paramedics from the Hemet Fire Department discovered the driver of the Mitsubishi, identified as 51-year-old Steve Montanez, had suffered fatal injuries.
Firefighters extricated the driver of the Nissan Pathfinder, who was subsequently transported to a nearby trauma center and listed in critical condition, as stated by the police.
It’s important to note that only the two drivers were present in the involved vehicles.
Due to the crash and the ensuing preliminary investigation, both north- and southbound lanes on Warren Road remained closed for an extended duration.
Upon confirming that the accident occurred in an unincorporated area outside the city’s jurisdiction, Hemet police transferred the case to the California Highway Patrol.