1 Teen Killed, 1 Hospitalized In Morongo Off-Roading Crash: CHP

BANNING, CA — A 16-year-old boy was killed Friday when the all- terrain vehicle he was riding with a friend overturned on the Morongo Indian Reservation just east of Banning, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Prince Waters of Cabazon was fatally injured about 1:20 a.m. when he was thrown from the ATV at the intersection of Morongo and Potrero roads, according to the California Highway Patrol and Riverside County coroner's office.

CHP Officer Darren Meyer said that Waters was a passenger on the back of the quad, which his 16-year-old friend, whose identity was not disclosed, was driving south on Potrero.

"Neither of the boys were wearing helmets or seatbelts," Meyer said in a news release.

Meyer said the teen driver lost control of the quad when he tried to take a turn.

"The driver of the UTV attempted to make a turn onto Morongo Road but was traveling too fast," Meyer said. "The UTV overturned on the pavement. The unrestrained passenger was ejected onto the roadway and pronounced deceased at the scene by paramedics."

Paramedics reached the remote location a short time later and pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

Meyer said the other boy was taken to Desert Regional Medical Center with injuries described as "non-life-threatening."

It was unclear why the teenagers were riding in the middle of the night.

The crash remains under investigation.

— City News Service contributed to this report