Inland Valley

A driver of a Mercedes-Benz was arrested after striking the rear of a Honda on the 15 Freeway in Corona and killing the driver, the California Highway Patrol said Monday, Feb. 14.

The crash happened Saturday, Feb. 12, around 3:05 a.m. on the northbound 15 Freeway south of the Weirick Road off-ramp, the CHP said in a news release.

A Mercedes-Benz E-350 was moving north on the freeway when it struck the rear of a Honda CRV for an unknown reason, authorities said. Both cars then went off of the freeway, down an embankment and across the off-ramp lanes, the CHP said.

The driver of the Honda died as a result of the crash, the CHP said. He was later identified by coroner officials as Tommy Chu, 44 Corona.

The driver of the Mercedes-Benz, who was identified as 29-year-old Jorge Anival Gomezagustin, was charged Wednesday, Feb. 16, with murder in Chu’s death, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

However, the suspect was also identified as going by the aliases of Jorge Anival Gomez Agustin, Jorge Anival Gomez-Agustin and Jorge Anivalgomez Agustin, according to a Riverside County Superior Court filing.

Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to call the CHP at 951-637-8000.

City News Service contributed to this story.

MENIFEE — A 17-year-old driver fatally injured in a crash in Menifee on Sunday apparently lost control of his vehicle and smashed into a roadside retaining wall, authorities said Tuesday.

Aaron Lane of Lake Elsinore died when his vehicle crashed into the wall, according to the Menifee Police Department.

He died at 11:53 a.m. at Briggs Road and Curzulla Road, the Riverside County Coroner’s Office said.

Menifee Police Sgt. Matthew Bloch said that, for unknown reasons, Lane’s vehicle veered off of Briggs and onto a dirt path, then struck the wall at an undetermined speed.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department paramedics arrived minutes later and attempted life-saving measures, but the teen was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The exact cause of the collision is still under investigation,” the sergeant said.

Anyone with information about the crash was asked to contact the police department’s Traffic Unit at 951-723-1690.

City News Service and staff writer Brian Rokos contributed to this story.

RIVERSIDE — The Riverside County coroner’s office on Saturday identified a 58-year-old man killed in a two-vehicle collision on the 215 Freeway in Riverside.

Officers from the California Highway Patrol were called at 11:29 p.m. Friday to the southbound side of the freeway near University Avenue, where a Toyota Yaris collided with a semi trailer, according to the CHP.

The driver of the Toyota, Antonio Coronado of Pico Rivera, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the Toyota was traveling at an unknown speed when it struck the rear of the semi trailer, the CHP said in a news release. The Toyota then became disabled while the unknown semi trailer continued south on the 215 Freeway and was not located, authorities said.

The cause of the collision was under investigation

HEMET — A motorist allegedly fatally struck a 62-year-old bicyclist just west of Hemet, then fled the scene in his SUV but was ultimately apprehended, thanks to witnesses, authorities said Friday.

Carlos Arturo Acosta, 38, of Homeland was arrested Thursday night and booked into the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on suspicion of hit-and-run resulting in death, as well as driving on a suspended license.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the suspect was driving his 2008 GMC Acadia in the area of California and Stetson avenues when he allegedly plowed into the bicyclist, shattering the victim’s bike and hurling him a short distance from the impact point. CHP officers were dispatched at about 7:25 p.m. The victim was identified by coroner officials as Glen Hysom of Hemet.

Officer Jason Montez alleged that Acosta did not stop, speeding away northbound, but he was observed by witnesses, who provided details to the CHP.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene, and CHP officers proceeded to a ranch property on Ocean Avenue in Homeland, where the suspect was taken into custody without incident, according to Montez.

Jail records show that Acosta has an unresolved misdemeanor driving under the influence cases out of San Bernardino County.

A hit-and-run driver struck and killed a pedestrian in Moreno Valley on Saturday morning.

Just before 3 a.m., Riverside Country sheriff’s deputies saw the pedestrian lying unresponsive on the roadway while driving west on Sunnymead Boulevard east of Heacock Street.

The pedestrian had injuries indicative of being struck by a vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene, sheriff’s officials said.

Investigators later determined that the victim had been crossing Sunnymead Boulevard when he was hit by a westbound vehicle. The driver fled the scene and was being sought by authorities.

The pedestrian was identified by coroner officials as Thomas Reese, 59, Moreno Valley.

Anyone with information about the death, the vehicle or identity of the driver was urged to call Deputy Andrew Galbreath of the sheriff’s Moreno Valley station at 951-486-6700 or the sheriff’s department at 951-776-1099.

A driver who led police on a chase through Rialto died after crashing into several other vehicles at an intersection, police said.

Around 12:25 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, a Rialto police officer conducted a traffic stop on a black Infinity Q50 for speeding near the intersection of Merrill and Spruce avenues. The driver initially yielded but when the officer approached the vehicle, he fled and a pursuit ensued through Rialto.

At one point during the pursuit, the driver attempted to ram his vehicle into a second officer’s patrol car, officials said.

The chase led to the intersection of Rialto and Cactus avenues, where the driver ran through a red light before crashing into four other vehicles, police said. He was injured and died at the scene.

One driver who was struck was also injured.

The suspect was identified as David Smith, 26, a San Bernardino resident, who police say was on parole due to a 2019 felony conviction for evading a peace officer.

Police said they found a stolen semi-automatic handgun, illegal 30 round magazine and narcotics in his car.

Upland police are looking for a man who they say rammed another motorist and then fired into that car, injuring one person, on Friday, Feb. 11.

A woman and a 3-year-old in the victim’s car were not injured, Lt. Anthony Kabayan said.

The attack happened at about 11:40 a.m. in the 1000 block of E. Foothill Boulevard. After the collision, the suspect fired several shots, police said.

“We’re still investigating the nature of the dispute, but we do know they both knew each other,” Kabayan said. “We believe the victim had a graze wound to his hand from one of the bullets.”

The attack was believed to have been witnessed by a number of people. Police ask anyone with information on the crime to call 909-946-7624.

A motorist was killed Wednesday night, Feb. 9, when his car stalled on the 91 Freeway in Corona and was struck from behind, the California Highway Patrol said.

The crash happened minutes before 10 p.m. on the westbound side west of Green River Road near the Orange County border. A Toyota Camry became disabled in the left lane and caught fire when it was struck by a Toyota Highlander, the CHP said.

The driver, who was the only one in the Camry, died. That person’s name has not been publicly announced.

The driver and passenger in the Highlander were hospitalized.

The CHP asks anyone with information on the collision call 951-637-8000.

By MARCIA DUNN

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A rocket startup’s big Florida launch debut ended with all four mini satellites destroyed Thursday.

California-based Astra sent its rocket soaring from Cape Canaveral after multiple delays, including a last-second engine shutdown Monday. The 43-foot (13-meter) rocket arced through a clear afternoon sky out over the Atlantic, carrying small research satellites sponsored by NASA.

But shortly after the first-stage booster dropped away, onboard cameras showed the second stage igniting and appearing to tumble. The video cameras went dark less than four minutes into the flight and the airwaves grew silent.

A launch commentator finally confirmed that the payloads failed to reach orbit. Three of the CubeSats were built by universities in Alabama, New Mexico and California, while the fourth was from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. All ended up crashing into the ocean.

Astra CEO and founder Chris Kemp apologized for the loss in a tweet: “I’m with the team looking at data, and we will provide more info as soon as we can.”

NASA mission manager Hamilton Fernandez reiterated the space agency’s support following the accident.

“Missions like these are critical for developing new launch vehicles in this growing commercial sector,” Fernandez said in a statement.

Astra was among three companies picked by NASA in 2020 to launch small satellites. The company received $3.9 million.

Astra was attempting its first launch from Cape Canaveral, following its first successful orbital launch last November from Alaska’s Kodiak Island. That test flight — contracted by the U.S. Space Force — featured a dummy payload on the second stage.

The company was founded in 2016 in Alameda, California.

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