AUGUST 15, 2009 - A man was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed in a residential neighborhood about nine miles east of downtown San Diego, authorities said. The motorcycle crash occurred about 7:50 p.m. at the intersection of La Corta Street and Massachusetts Avenue, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Witnesses told authorities that the motorcyclist, identified as 29-year-old James Sheldon Rader of El Cajon, was speeding at the time of the crash. The victim died at Scripps Mercy Hospital of mulitple blunt force injuries, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the fatal motorcycle crash.
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AUGUST 10, 2009 - Five people were injured, including two critically, when a sports-utility vehicle crashed while being pursued by the U.S. Border Patrol west of Jamul, authorities said. The crash occurred shortly before 9 a.m. on State Route 94 near Steele Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. The Jeep Cherokee that was being pursued slammed into a telephone pole and a street sign before stopping about 30 feet from several gas pumps at a 7-Eleven store, authorities said. The CHP is investigating the crash.
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AUGUST 7, 2009 - A 24-year-old man died when his pickup truck struck several parked cars and then overturned in a San Diego County residential neighborhood, authorities said. John Kirk Colgan Jr. of Imperial Beach was driving on 11th Street at a high rate of speed when he struck the parked vehicles near Fern Avenue around 10 p.m., according to the San Diego County Medical examiner’s office. The impact with the parked cars caused Colgan’s truck to lose a tire and then overturn. Colgan, who was not wearing a seat belt, was partially ejected and the truck ended up on top of him, officials said. Bystanders lifted the truck off Colgan and began performing CPR before paramedics arrived and pronounced him dead at the scene, officials said. Colgan was married and had a son, authorities said. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the car accident.
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JUNE 25, 2009 - An Anaheim man was airlifted to an Orange County hospital after he crashed his motorcycle near the Border Patrol checkpoint, authorities said. The 29-year-old motorcyclist was riding northbound on Interstate 5 at speeds of up to 90 mph when he crashed about 3:30 p.m. while trying to split between a truck and a sports utility vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol. The man was flown to Mission Regional Hospital in Mission Viejo where he underwent surgery for unknown injuries. The CHP is investigating the crash, but said it appeared the motorcyclist was at fault.
JUNE 5, 2009 - A 61-year-old man suffered a fractured neck and pelvis when his vehicle was hit from behind by a speeding driver, causing it to overturn, authorities said. The accident occurred around 11:48 p.m., when a 22-year-old man was speeding east on Otay Mesa Road near Alisa Court, police said. He also sideswiped a second car, driven by a 45-year-old man, causing that vehicle to cross the center divider, crash through and fence and wind up on Brown Field Municipal Airport property, authorities said. The 61-year-old man was airlifted to a local hospital. The other two drivers were not seriously injured. Police are investigating the cause of the crash.
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MAY 26, 2009 - The California Highway Patrol said a 20-year-old man suffered massive head injuries and later died when his vehicle lost control on eastbound Highway 78 near the Mar Vista Drive Exit in Vista and flipped several times. Authorities believe Rafael Rivera Jr. was racing a yellow Ford Mustang in excess of 90 mph when he lost control of his 1988 Honda CRX about 10:50 a.m. Witnesses reported the cars had been weaving in and out of lanes when Rivera attempted to pass the Mustang on the right shoulder. He then lost control of the vehicle and spun up an embankment, flipped in the air and the car landed on its trunk in the middle of the eastbound lane, authorities said. No information was available on the driver of the Mustang.
MAY 5, 2009 - Five people were injured in a head-on collision in Harmony Grove on Saturday evening. A car traveling in the 8000 block of Harmony Grove Road was speeding as it turned a corner in the roadway and collided with another vehicle. Two injured children were flown to Rady Children’s Hospital and three adults were transported to Palomar Hospital.
APRIL 6, 2009 - Two people were killed when their car struck a pole in Bay Park on Saturday. 21-year-old Mario De La Rosa and his passenger, Paul Albert Alferos, Jr., 19, were traveling south on Clairemont Drive when Mr. De La Rosa lost control of his vehicle near Burgener Boulevard. The car then veered off the roadway and crashed into a telephone pole, breaking the pole in half. Mr. Alferos, Jr. was pronounced dead at the scene due to head injuries. Mr. De La Rosa was flown to Scripps Memorial Hospital where he later died of multiple blunt force injuries. It has been reported that Mr. De La Rosa was speeding at the time of the crash.
MARCH 31, 2009 - Police officers will begin patrolling more frequently along Highway 67 after Sunday’s fatal crash. 25-year-old Alexandria Drake was killed when her car was struck by a Jaguar while traveling southbound on the Highway. It is believed that the driver, 47-year-old Melvin Pearless, was racing a BMW at the time of the collision. Witnesses saw both the BMW and Jaguar traveling at least 80 mph before Mr. Pearless lost control of his Jaguar and crossed into oncoming traffic, striking Ms. Drake’s Volvo. Her car then struck a tree. She died several hours later at Palomar Medical Center. Her infant son was also in the Volvo at the time of the crash, but was unharmed. Joel Cherry, a motorcyclist traveling behind Ms. Drake’s vehicle, swerved to avoid the crash and suffered minor injuries. Mr. Pearless was also hospitalized and is expected to face a manslaughter charge. The BMW did not stop at the scene. Although no description of the driver is available, authorities are asking anyone who has any possible information to contact 619-401-2000.
From January 1998 through March 2008, 46 people died on Highway 67. Between 2005 and 2007 alone, there were 11 deaths and 65 injuries. Authorities report that excessive speed is the main cause of accidents in that area. Some safety improvements have been made, such as last year’s installation of rumble strips to alert motorists when they are crossing over center dividing lines. The possibility of expanding the highway and putting in a concrete median is currently being discussed. The CHP is planning to use a recent grant from the Office of Traffic and Safety to perform extra patrols along the Highway, hoping to prevent more speeding and DUI-related accidents.
MARCH 30, 2009 - A young mother was killed yesterday in a multi-vehicle accident in Ramona. 25-year-old Alexandria Drake was following her mother on southbound SR-67 when a northbound Jaguar crossed into the path of her mother’s vehicle just east of Archie Moore Road. The Jaguar struck the side of her mother’s Mitsubishi Montero, nearly flipping the SUV. The Jaguar then drifted backwards, colliding with Ms. Drake’s Volvo, causing her vehicle to run off the roadway and strike a tree. A Nissan and a motorcycle that had been traveling behind Ms. Drake swerved to avoid the collision, both crashing their vehicles. Ms. Drake was transported to Palomar Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Her infant son was also in the Volvo at the time of the crash, but was unharmed. The driver of the motorcycle was transported to the hospital as well. Witnesses reported that the driver of the Jaguar, Melvin Pearless, seemed to be racing a BMW right before the crash occurred. The vehicles were seen traveling at speeds of over 80 mph. The driver of the BMW did not remain at the scene, but Mr. Pearless is expected to be charged with vehicular manslaughter.
