'Emergency Community Meeting' To Address Rash Of SWR DUI Deaths

MURRIETA, CA — After a recent rash of deadly suspected DUI-related deaths in the Southwest Riverside County area, community members are set to gather in Murrieta to discuss how they can help make a change.

"Hopefully we can get educated, float ideas and create action items in order to eliminate the horrific crime of DUI," Murrieta resident Karen Kools, who is organizing the meeting, told Patch via email.

Kools said she had the unfortunate experience of witnessing a deadly DUI crash back on Sept. 6, 2017 in French Valley. That's the morning that Murrieta resident Joan Lehmer was hit and killed.

"I was the first car able to stop to help," she recalls. "It was life changing to witness first hand what happens when a drugged driver gets behind the wheel and murders another human being."

Fast forward nearly two years, and countless area crashes later, recent weeks have brought multiple high-profile DUI-related wrecks to the region.

On June 1, Lily Kelly Harrison was struck by an accused drunk driver while out with some friends on Rancho California Road, according to the CHP. She died at the scene of the crash and law enforcement officials say a 19-year-old Fallbrook man had been drinking and driving, causing incident. Harrison was just 15.

On June 4, another man accused of DUI — allegedly under the influence of drugs — was spotted speeding on Interstate 15 in Temecula before slamming into a Nissan sedan being driving by 44-year-old Janet Genao of Murrieta, according to the CHP. Genao is believed to have died instantly, and the mangled wreckage of her car was barely recognizable.

"The recent DUI's have the community scared and frustrated," Kools said. "There is an urgency for action. I could see that by all of the social media activity something needed to happen, so I decided to create a community meeting."

Several local leaders are also slated to come to the meeting, including Deputy District Attorney Matt Strickroth and California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Lassig. Representatives from Murrieta police, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and MADD are also expected to attend.

The event is set for 7 p.m. at Monteleone Meadows, located at 35245 Briggs Road.