Inland Valley

JURUPA VALLEY — A 19-year-old driver who died in a single vehicle crash in Jurupa Valley on Tuesday evening was identified Wednesday.

Antonio Delgadillo of Riverside and a passenger were found with serious injuries when emergency responders arrived at the scene of the crash at Limonite Avenue and Avenue San Juan Bautista, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Emergency personnel were called to the scene at 9:19 p.m.

The vehicle was traveling at high speed before loosing control and crashing into a tree, Sgt. Iemsisanith said. The two occupants required extrication from the vehicle.

Both Delgadillo and the passenger were rushed to a nearby hospital, where Delgadillo later died from his injuries. The passenger is expected to survive.

The crash was under investigation.

RIVERSIDE — A single-engine airplane crash near Desert Center that killed the 67-year-old pilot was the result of a “loss of control” in severe turbulence and restricted visibility, according to a report released Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The agency published its final findings following a 27-month investigation that began immediately after the Nov. 25, 2019, crash that killed John “Brent” Stackhouse.

His Beechcraft V35 Bonanza crashed just south of Interstate 10 between Blythe and Desert Center. The night flight began in Tucson, Arizona, and was bound for Hemet-Ryan Airport.

“The NTSB determines the probable cause of this accident to be a loss of control in flight due to the pilot’s decision to fly in a mountain range, at night, in conditions conducive to high wind, mountain waves and turbulence,” according to the report.

Stackhouse was returning from a visit with a friend in Tucson and encountered a windstorm as he passed Desert Center, where winds were blowing 30 to 40 mph, with higher gusts at different altitudes, according to the NTSB.

The gust front preceded a major winter storm that would wallop Southern California that Thanksgiving week. According to the NTSB, there was no evidence Stackhouse obtained weather information that would have alerted him to the intense winds on his route of flight home.

According to the report, meteorological advisories issued close to an hour before Stackhouse left southern Arizona “warned of severe turbulence and … reduced visibilities due to blowing dust” along his route. A graphic released by the National Weather Service that morning depicted “severe weather hazards,” but there was “no record of the accident pilot receiving or retrieving” these products. However, he did check conditions at airports over which he would be flying, investigators said.

His widow, Jan Stackhouse of Canyon Lake, told City News Service in 2020 that her late husband was “very safety conscious,” and he “would have turned back and stayed the night in Tucson if he had known how severe the weather was.”

While in contact with Los Angeles-based air traffic controllers, the 550-hour private pilot indicated that he was in extreme turbulence and asked whether a “better altitude” might be available for his westbound flight. He was told all aircraft in the area were reporting turbulence at every level, according to the NTSB.

Stackhouse did not declare an emergency. However, moments later, about 5:30 p.m., he informed controllers that he could not continue and intended to turn around and land at Blythe Municipal Airport, the NTSB said.

The agency stated that radar returns showed the Bonanza entering a continuous descent as Stackhouse made his course reversal, and the descent did not stop after the turn was finished. He was initially at 6,000 feet, but the plane continued to lose altitude over a six-minute span.

At one point, Stackhouse told controllers he was “climbing back (over) the 10 freeway” for reference, then said, “I think I’ve got a mountain in front of me,” according to the NTSB.

About 5:40 p.m., the Bonanza impacted the ground at high speed, leaving a 500-foot-long debris field three-quarters of a mile south of the 10 Freeway, in an area known as Corn Springs, according to the NTSB. Stackhouse died on impact, though it would take another five hours for first responders to find the crash site because of the winds and darkness.

“It was a very violent plane crash,” Riverside County sheriff’s Capt. David Teets told CNS in 2020. “It was a somber event.”

Along with his wife, Stackhouse left behind two adult children. Jan Stackhouse said her late husband was a man of strong faith, and both of them believed that whatever might happen to them, flying or otherwise, was in God’s hands.

“It was just his day,” she said. “That’s the only way for me to reconcile it.”

Stackhouse did not hold an instrument rating, but his widow said he had ample night flying experience and was capable of handling challenges.

“I can’t blame anybody for the situation. It happened,” she said. “It was his dream to fly. Brent was doing what he loved to do.”

Stackhouse’s fatal plane crash was one of five that occurred in Riverside County in 2019. His was the last one that year.

A preliminary report Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed details of mechanical issues reported by the officers on the night a Huntington Beach Police Department helicopter crashed into the water in Newport Harbor, killing one officer and injuring the other.

Around 6 p.m. on Feb. 19, the helicopter flew a routine patrol along the coast of Huntington Beach, inland to Costa Mesa, and then south to Newport Beach, said the report. Huntington Beach police helicopters cover nearby jurisdictions under contracts with the cities of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.

As they were leaving the Newport Beach area, the pilot, a Huntington Beach officer who has not been publicly identified and survived; and Officer Nicholas Vella, the tactical flight officer who died, received a police radio transmission of a fight taking place in Newport Beach and redirected the helicopter to the area of the fight to relay observations from about 500 feet above of what they saw to ground officers.

By the time ground patrol officers arrived and were getting out of their cars to approach the group, the majority of the people had dispersed, but there was a concern one person was about to start an altercation with a patrol officer.

The pilot slowed the helicopter to keep a camera aimed at the scene longer, when the helicopter “yawed aggressively to the right,” said the report. The pilot tried to counteract the move, but “there was no response.” A yaw is defined as a movement to the side.

The pilot continued to try to correct the movements of the helicopter, but it did not respond, and began a spinning descent.

The pilot told investigators the engine was operating throughout the ordeal and his goal was to continue to fly the helicopter with the engine still running. In the event of engine failure, pilots can perform an autorotation, which allows the main rotor system to be turned by the force of relative wind power rather than the engine to land safely. But the pilot did not want to reduce power over a populated area, the report said.

A radio transmission from Vella over the police channel cited in the report said: “We’re having some mechanical issues right now”, followed by, “we’re going down, we’re going down.”

Because it was dark as the helicopter descended, the pilot had no horizon or accurate external reference, but sensed impact was imminent and attempted to slow the helicopter down.

The helicopter hit the water on its side in a downward right rotation, which shattered the canopy and glass. The pilot was able to release his seat harness and push himself through the door opening when onlookers arrived to pull him toward a boat.

The crash happened in clear weather conditions, with visibility of 10 miles and light winds of just 3 knots, the report said.

The report was issued a day after Vella was honored during a procession that started in Huntington Beach followed by his memorial service at Honda Center in Anaheim.

“The Huntington Beach Police Department is appreciative of NTSB’s ongoing efforts investigating the crash of our Huntington Beach Police helicopter. We will continue to work with NTSB on their investigation going forward. We await NTSB’s final, comprehensive report,” police spokesperson Jennifer Carey said Wednesday night.

The NTSB has said it may take a year or more to fully investigate the crash and determine its cause.

An unidentified driver ran from the scene of a high-speed crash that killed a 57-year-old man in San Bernardino on Tuesday evening, March 8, police said.

The crash happened at about 10:05 p.m. when a Dodge Challenger was headed north on South Pepper Avenue and struck the rear of a Toyota Corolla headed the same direction at a high rate of speed, the San Bernardino Police Department said in a news release. The force from the crash caused the Toyota to crash into a streetlight, authorities said.

The driver of the Dodge fled the scene on foot and was not found, police said.

The driver of the Toyota, Martin Villegas of San Bernardino, had critical injuries and died at a hospital, authorities said.

Anyone with information about the crash was asked to contact Detective Dan Acosta at 909-384-5792.

By Peter Valdes-Dapena | CNN

It’s been promised for years. Now it’s finally here. Volkswagen has unveiled the production version of the VW ID. Buzz, a 21st century version of the classic VW Bus. Unlike the noisy and underpowered original bus, the new version will be full electric with ample horsepower.

The Bus was a cultural icon on par with its smaller sister model, the VW Beetle. It was officially known as the Volkswagen T1 or Transporter but best known as the Microbus or, simply, the Bus. In America, it became associated with the Hippie movement, but the Bus also provided transportation for large families decades before the minivan was invented.

The classic Microbus has become a favorite among collectors. Nicely kept versions have sold for six-figure sums. The world’s most valuable Hot Wheels car, worth as much as $150,000, is a tiny Microbus.

While VW designers didn’t want to simply recreate the look of the original van, the automaker said, many elements of the ID. Buzz’s exterior are clearly inspired by it. The new van will be available with two-tone paint like the original. It also has short front and rear “overhangs,” the distance between the wheels and the ends of the body, like the original. Besides giving the van an overall shape similar to the Microbus, the short overhangs also allow for more space inside the van.

Like the Beetle, the Microbus had a small engine mounted in the back. The new VW ID. Buzz, likewise, has its electric motor in the back powering the van’s rear wheels. The motor in the ID. Buzz unveiled Wednesday will produce up to 201 horsepower, far more than the classic Bus’s meager two-digit horsepower figures. Different versions of the Buzz with various power capabilities will be announced later, VW said.

The ID. Buzz’s battery packs are mounted under the floor. That gives the van a low center of gravity and, VW promises, particularly agile handling for a van. It shares much of its engineering with other new Volkswagen electric vehicles, such as the ID.4 crossover SUV.

Volkswagen Group, which owns the Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Bentley brands, among others, is pushing heavily into electric vehicles and expects 25% of its sales to be EVs by 2026. As of last year, they made up about 5% of VW Group’s global sales. Currently, in the US, VW Group sells the electric Audi E-Tron models and Porsche Taycan models in addition to the ID. 4. Overseas, VW Group brands Škoda and Opel also offer electric vehicles, and Bentley plans to sell only electric cars by 2030.

Inside, the ID. Buzz has features similar to those in the ID.4, such as a gear selection knob behind the steering that can be twisted to put the van into drive or reverse. A light bar running underneath the windshield uses colors to communicate to the driver things like an obstacle in the way or an upcoming turn for navigation. The gauge cluster is a rectangular digital screen. There is a 10-inch touchscreen for navigation and entertainment, and a 12-inch screen will be available as an option.

The ID. Buzz will have no leather in its interior, using leather substitutes, instead. There will also be fabrics made entirely from recycled plastics.

The electric bus will be available globally in two lengths, standard and long wheelbase. Only the long wheelbase version will be sold in the US. The standard version will be able to seat five, but a six-seat version will come later. The long wheelbase version will have seating for as many as seven. VW will also be offering cargo van versions with seating for three in front — the driver will have an individual seat with a two-person bench next to them. A wall behind the occupants will keep the cargo area separate.

The ID. Buzz revealed on Tuesday will go on sale in Europe later this year. VW has not yet provided pricing. The technical details could be slightly different for the version that will be available in North America in 2024. That version will be revealed next year.

RIVERSIDE — A 28-year-old motorist who died in a three-vehicle wreck at a Riverside intersection was identified Wednesday.

William Castro of Riverside was found in grave condition when Riverside Fire Department paramedics reached the crash, which happened at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at Jurupa Avenue and Van Buren Boulevard, according to the Riverside Police Department.

Sgt. Ryan Wilson said a 36-year-old Banning man was going west on Jurupa in his Dodge Durango SUV and entered the intersection just as a Honda Accord, driven by Castro, and a Scion were crossing in the southbound lanes of Van Buren.

The Dodge struck the Honda first and then the Scion, Wilson said. He did not say whether the SUV ran a red light.

Castro was taken to Riverside Community Hospital, where he died a short time later.

The SUV driver and the motorist at the wheel of the Scion, whose identities were not disclosed, did not require hospitalization, according to the police spokesman.

Castro was identified Wednesday by the Riverside County coroner’s office following the notification of his family.

The crash remains under investigation, and anyone with information was asked to contact the police Traffic Bureau at 951-826-8723.

POMONA — A San Bernardino County man pleaded no contest Monday to charges stemming from a DUI crash that killed a 1-year-old girl and her father on the Pomona (60) Freeway in Diamond Bar in 2017.

Hans T. Guloy, also known as Hans Timothy Cruz Guloy, is due back in a Pomona courtroom for sentencing April 19 in connection with his plea to all six charges against him, according to Ricardo Santiago with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

It was not immediately clear what sentence Guloy could face or whether he is currently in custody.

The case against Guloy was filed on the one-year anniversary of the Nov. 26, 2017, crash near Diamond Bar Boulevard on the 60 Freeway that fatally injured Abraham Franco, 29, of Pomona, and his daughter, Abby, and seriously injured the girl’s mother.

The 29-year-old Chino Hills man was charged with two felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and one count each of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury, driving with a 0.08 percent blood-alcohol content causing injury, hit-and-run driving resulting in death or serious injury to another person and perjury by declaration, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The charges also included allegations that Guloy fled from the scene of the crime and caused great bodily injury and/or death to more than one victim — allegations Guloy admitted in connection with his plea, according to Santiago.

Guloy was driving under the influence when he crashed into the vehicle containing the couple and their three children, according to evidence presented at a July 2019 hearing in which he was ordered to stand trial.

The victims’ vehicle smashed into the center divider, and it was subsequently struck by another vehicle.

Guloy fled from the scene of the crash and later told police that his vehicle had been stolen, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

LOS ANGELES — The widow and daughter of a passenger who was killed in a small plane crash near Newhall in 2020 are suing the estate of the pilot and the estate’s representative.

Gina Solis brought the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit on behalf of herself and her 10-year-old daughter on Thursday against the estate of John Russell Calvert and the estate’s representative, Gregory Michael Calvert. The suit alleges negligence and both strict and negligent products liability.

The Solises are the wife and daughter of the late 36-year-old Kevin Solis of Fontana, who was the only passenger aboard the plane flown by the 77-year-old Calvert, a Valencia resident.

Calvert “negligently, carelessly, recklessly, unskillfully … maintained, operated, controlled and flew (the plane) so as to proximately cause the (aircraft) to crash thereby causing the death of Kevin Solis,” the suit states.

Solis was unaware of any defects in the plane before the crash, the suit states.

A representative for the Calvert estate could not immediately be reached.

The crash occurred near the Sunshine Canyon Landfill, northwest of Sylmar, at about 1:50 p.m. March 13, 2020. The plane, a single-engine Mooney M20K, left Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend, Oregon, earlier that day and vanished from radar while inbound to Van Nuys Airport. A witness working at the landfill reported hearing engine problem sounds from the aircraft and the wreckage was later found on a hill near the landfill. Both the pilot and passenger were killed.

A teenager struck by a pickup truck in Riverside died, and the driver who hit him fled Tuesday evening, March 1.

The crash happened at about 9:30 p.m. near Main and Poplar streets, said Officer Ryan Railsback, a Police Department spokesman, in an industrial area south of Spruce Street and west of the 91/60 interchange.

It appears the teen, in a bicycle, was heading north in the middle of the street when struck by a pickup travelling south, police said.

The victim was identified as 15-year-old Javier Gonzalez.

Investigators were searching for the pickup’s driver, who failed to stop and call for help or render aid, Railsback said.

Riverside police asked anyone with information about the crash to contact Detective Jeff Derouin at 951-826-8722 or at Jderouin@riversideca.gov.

Gonzalez was the fifth person to die in a collision in Riverside in the past five days.