Two-car crash on I-10 kills three in Whitewater area
Three people were killed in a two-car crash Sunday morning on eastbound I-10 near Haugen Lehmann Way in the Whitewater area.
The crash was reported at 7:27 a.m., according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Eastbound traffic was diverted at Main Street in the Cabazon area.
Firefighters at the scene reported two vehicles, a black Tesla Model 3 and a red Chevrolet Suburban, with major damage. Officer Jason Montez, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol, told The Desert Sun that police have no reason to suspect that drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.
"For reasons unknown and under investigation, the Tesla Model 3 and Chevrolet Suburban crashed into one another causing the driver of the Chevrolet Suburban to lose control (and) subsequently causing it to crash into the center divider," a CHP press release states. "The Chevrolet then overturned, ejecting six occupants, and partially ejecting one party."
The driver of the Tesla, a 31-year-old male from Indio, was unharmed, according to CHP. He was the only person in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
CHP said the three killed in the crash and all who were injured were among the nine passengers traveling in the Suburban. Authorities confirmed that all occupants of the vehicle were related and from Anaheim.
A 31-year-old female who was partially ejected from the vehicle was pronounced dead on the scene, according to CHP. A 12-year-old female and a 8-year-old* female were also ejected from the vehicle and each were pronounced dead on the scene.
Among those who survived the crash, according to CHP, were a 3-year-old female and a 7-year-old male who were also ejected. Each suffered major injuries. The male was airlifted to a local trauma center for treatment along with an 11-year-old female who also sustained major injuries.
CHP said that a 15-year-old male suffered major injuries and was sent to a hospital by ground ambulance for treatment.
The driver of the Suburban, a 39-year-old male, sustained moderate injuries. The right front passenger of the Suburban, a 41-year-old male, sustained minor injuries.
The crash caused the closure of eastbound I-10 for roughly seven hours Sunday.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said the youngest victim was a different age. The error came from a CHP press release and has been corrected in this version of the article.
This story includes previous reporting from City News Service.
Andrew John is a reporter for The Desert Sun, covering news in the Coachella Valley. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Two-car crash on I-10 kills three in Whitewater area
