Six persons were killed and four injured in a four-vehicle collision that also started a fire that forced several road closures on Gilman Springs in Riverside County.
At 2:19 p.m. on Monday, crews reacted to reports of the deadly crash.
According to CHP Sgt. Adrian Horta, the car who attempted to pass on the right shoulder ran out of room, colliding with the guard rail and driving straight into oncoming traffic.
The front passenger of the car was carried out and given medical attention at the hospital after the driver was discovered deceased at the scene.
Three people—two children and one adult—were killed when the fourth automobile in the collision was forced off the road, into the field, and caught fire.
All six patients were pronounced dead at the spot, while it is unclear exactly what caused the deaths of the other two victims. According to CAL FIRE, it was difficult to see that two of the victims were present because of how violent the incident occurred.
When CHP arrived, all four of the automobiles were completely engulfed in flames.
According to CAL FIRE and the Riverside County Fire Department, the four patients who were taken to the hospital had injuries that ranged from minor to critical.
Read Also: Thieves Crash Stolen Car Into Greenwood Shop, Escape With 20 Handguns
Horta stated that the good Samaritan who arrived with a tractor and established a perimeter around the fire to control its size before it spread contributed to the firefighters’ ability to restrict the fire to 3.74 acres.
Gilman Springs will be closed for an additional four to five hours at two locations: at Highway 79 and Alessandro, according to officials.
All eastbound traffic on Gilman Springs is being rerouted to southbound Bridge St., while all westbound traffic on Gilman Springs is being rerouted to Highway 79, according to CHP San Gorgonio Pass.
