Motorist Suspected of DUI Slams Into Tree, Killing Passenger

On Scene TV reports one person has died after the driver of the vehicle they were in crashed into a tree in Riverside on Wednesday.

Authorities say the fatal crash happened at approximately 12:06 a.m. when the driver of a champagne-colored pickup truck slammed into a palm tree along Victoria Road in Riverside.

Riverside Police Department officers and firefighters with the Riverside Fire Department responded to the crash scene. Emergency crews found two occupants of the vehicle. A front-seat passenger was declared dead at the scene.

Paramedics transported the pickup truck driver to an area hospital with undisclosed injuries. 

Investigators at the scene believe that the pickup driver may have been going the wrong way because Victoria Road is a one-way street. Video surveillance taken from the area confirmed that it was a wrong-way crash.

Detectives also say that the truck may been traveling at a high rate of speed and that the driver may have been driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Officials are waiting for the results of toxicology tests before arresting the driver with DUI and other charges.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

The crash remains under investigation. Anyone with any information about the crash may contact the Riverside Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team at (951) 254-2007.

Related Frequently Asked Questions