Last Updated on May 15, 2019 by CCAR Staff
A Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department battalion chief crashed — possibly because of a medical emergency — off the 215 Freeway near Harley Knox Boulevard near Perris on Wednesday, prompting officials to shut down rail traffic in the area.
The battalion chief, whose name was not disclosed, was unconscious but breathing once officers arrived at the scene of the crash, said CHP Officer Juan Quintero. He was transported to Riverside University Health System Medical Center where he remained unconscious and intubated Thursday afternoon. It was not clear whether the chief was hospitalized due to the apparent medical emergency, or whether he was injured in the collision.
The collision, reported at 3:07 p.m., occurred on the southbound lanes of the 215 Freeway, south of Van Buren Boulevard. The chief, who drove a 2016 Chevrolet pickup, had swerved lanes, striking another vehicle, Quintero said. The truck was sent across all lanes, into the right shoulder, and struck a chain link fence and guard rail.
The wrecked vehicle ended up just short of railroad tracks. Before word of the crash reached BNSF, the company that operates freight trains on the tracks, a Metrolink train traveling south along the tracks zoomed by, narrowly missing the vehicle and the chief. No injuries were reported on the train. The train came to a halt, but continued on its way after five to 10 minutes.
The driver of the other car complained about pain but did not require further medical treatment.
The crash was the second medical emergency involving a Cal Fire official Wednesday.
Cal Fire spokesman Capt. Fernando Herrera said a captain suffered an illness during wildfire training in the Mountain Center area. He was in stable condition at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Herrera said.
