Perris Woman ID'd In Fatal Hit And Run Crash

PERRIS, CA — A woman who died in a collision with suspected DUI driver in Perris was identified Sunday as a 26-year-old resident of the city.

The Riverside Coroner's Office identified Sunday the victim as Jocelyn Mendoza.

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department Perris station responded to a report of a traffic collision in the intersection of Placentia Avenue and southbound Interstate 215 Freeway at 12:20 a.m. Sunday, according to the department.

Deputies arrived at the scene and located a Dodge pickup and a Toyota sedan, the driver of which was found to be unresponsive with significant injuries, according to the department. Paramedics pronounced Mendoza dead at the scene within 10 minutes.

Preliminary findings from the Perris station's Reconstruction Team revealed the sedan was exiting the freeway at Placentia Avenue when the westbound suspect collided with her in the intersection.

The suspect, identified as Perris resident Ivan Simmons, attempted to flee the scene when deputies arrived but was located a short distance from the scene, according to the RCSD. He allegedly "showed signs of impairment."

Simmons was arrested Sunday morning on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter, hit-and-run death and DUI causing bodily injury in the collision. He is being held on $1 million at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta.

Placentia Avenue between the northbound Interstate 215 Freeway and Harvill Avenue was closed during the investigation.

Anyone with information about the collision was urged to contact Deputy Jess Kiebach of the Perris sheriff's station at 951-210-1000.