Another Crash Kills Child, Injures Others In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE, CA — A child was killed and two other juveniles were critically injured, along with two adults, in a head-on collision Tuesday at a Riverside intersection.

The crash marks another in a string of serious collisions over the last three days involving children in Riverside County.

The crash happened about 7:30 a.m. at Arlington and Stover avenues, in the La Sierra Acres neighborhood, according to Riverside police and fire departments.

Police spokesman Officer Ryan Railsback confirmed Tuesday afternoon that an 8-year-old child riding in one of the sedans died.

He said a 10-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy suffered major injuries and remain in critical condition at a Riverside hospital.

A woman in the car with them was also seriously hurt and hospitalized.

A man, and the sole occupant of the other vehicle, was also in serious condition, authorities said. He was at the wheel of a Honda that apparently went out of control on Arlington, slamming head-on into the Nissan carrying the children, according to reports from the scene.

Battalion Chief Garrett Coryell said two engine crews and a truck company, numbering a dozen personnel, were sent to the location and found the mangled wreck.

"One patient (was) ejected, three were trapped, with a total of five critically injured," Coryell said.

He said firefighters deployed heavy equipment to extricate the trapped parties.

"The five patients were transported to area hospitals by American Medical Response ambulances, with RFD personnel assisting all," the fire department spokesman said.

Riverside police officers were trying to sort out what happened, including whether the Honda's speed and alcohol or drugs may have been factors.

Serious, unrelated crashes involving children have been reported across the county over the last three days.

On Tuesday afternoon, a young bicyclist was hit by a truck in unincorporated Murrieta. She had to be airlifted for treatment of serious injuries. Read more here.

A head-on crash Sunday in Winchester killed a Perris woman and seriously injured a Murrieta man. A child and a fourth victim escaped major injuries. The fatal wreck was reported shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday on Washington Street, just west of state Route 79. Read more here.

A separate crash reported Sunday on Interstate 10 in Whitewater killed an Anaheim mother and two of her young children. Read more here.

All of the crashes remain under investigation.

—City News Service and Patch editor Toni McAllister contributed to this report.