02/27/2020
TOW TRUCK DRIVER ASSISTING CHP STRUCK BY VEHICLE ON SHOULDER; SUFFERS MAJOR INJURIES
On February 23, 2020, at approximately 9:55 AM, Officer S. Rivera, ID #17263, of the San Gorgonio Pass Area CHP received a call of a solo vehicle roll-over traffic collision on SR-79 southbound, south of California Avenue. After responding and investigating the incident, Officer Rivera determined that there were no injuries and called for a tow truck to recover the overturned vehicle. Statewide Towing arrived at the location a short time later and parked on the right shoulder just ahead of Officer Rivera’s patrol vehicle. The tow driver, 49 year-old Enrique Ramirez Sanchez, residing in the City of Banning, exited his truck and was in the process of preparing for the recovery, standing on the left side of his vehicle.
At approximately 10:38 AM, a white Toyota Corolla, being driven by a 29 year-old female from Riverside, was traveling southbound on SR-79, south of California Avenue, and approaching the scene of the previous collision. The preliminary investigation indicates the driver of the Toyota Corolla was traveling at an unsafe speed for the road/weather conditions. She was unable to maintain control of her vehicle, veered to the left and collided with the concrete median wall. The force of this impact propelled the Corolla back to the right across the traffic lanes out of control. The Corolla crossed onto the right shoulder striking Mr. Sanchez and the left side of his tow truck. Mr. Sanchez sustained major injuries as a result of the collision and was transported to the Riverside University Health Systems Hospital by American Medical Response.
Both SR-79 southbound lanes were closed for approximately one hour and forty-five minutes for the investigation. Alcohol and drugs have been ruled out as contributing factors in the cause of this collision.
If you take anything from this incident, PLEASE slow down when it is raining OR if the roadway is wet. Your vehicle does not behave the same on wet roadways and it needs more time to stop! This incident was caused by traveling too fast on a wet roadway and was completely unnecessary. Please slow down!
Our thoughts are with Mr. Sanchez and his family during this difficult time. If you would like to help him and his family, follow the link to the GoFundMe account below.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/our-statewide-towing-brother-enrique-needs-us?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=sms&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet
