Memorial Placed At Jurupa Valley Crash Site Where Amazon Driver Struck Patrol Vehicle, Killing 2
JURUPA VALLEY (CBSLA) — The investigation into what caused a horrific crash that killed two women in Jurupa Valley continued Monday as a memorial for the women was placed at the site.
The crash happened Saturday night when two women who had been involved in a minor accident were standing on the side of the road near the intersection of Van Buren Boulevard and 56th Street giving two Riverside County Sheriff's Department employees their statements.
"The officer had placed the patrol vehicle blocking the southbound number one lane, just during the investigation of the collision and also to kind of protect the area," Juan Quintero, spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol Riverside Area Office, said. "The patrol vehicle had its emergency lights on."
That's when a driver in an Amazon Prime delivery van hit the patrol vehicle, pushing it into the two women, a sheriff's department service officer and a department volunteer. The two women died, and the county employees suffered major injuries, though they were both expected to survive.
"The Amazon Prime delivery driver was transported to riverside community hospital with minor injuries," CHP Sgt. Steven Rusk said. "He's expected to make a full recovery."
The memorial, decorated with flowers and a photo of one of the women, was the second at the intersection. Across the street, crosses memorialize four men in their 20s who were killed in the fall of 2018 when an allegedly drunk driver crashed into their car.
While some online said the area was a hotspot for accidents, RCSD said it would have to look at the data. But whether the area is a problem area for drivers or not, CHP said it was a good time to remind people about the danger of distracted driving.
"Pay attention the the road," Quintero said. "Understand that driving is a multitasking activity as it is by itself, so please make sure that phones and any other distractions are away and that you're fully focused on the primary task of driving."
When asked for comment on the investigation, Amazon said it had no updates at this time.
