5 People Killed In Desert Crash Identified By Coroner

MECCA, CA — Five people, including two children, who died after the car they were traveling in collided with a semi-truck in Mecca were identified over the weekend by the coroner's bureau.

The crash was reported around 5:15 p.m. Saturday on 81st Avenue near the intersection with State Route 86.

The five people were in a Volkswagen Jetta that was traveling eastbound on 81st Avenue approaching the intersection. At the same time, a semi-truck was driving southbound on SR 86, according to the California Highway Patrol.

According to CHP officers, the Volkswagen entered the intersection without yielding to oncoming traffic and caused the front of the semi-truck to collide into the left side of the Volkswagen.

The occupants of the Volkswagen were a 26-year-old female driver from Thermal, Alexa Xiomara Felix-Reyes; 23-year-old Hernan Montes-Hernandez from Palm Springs; 24-year-old Victor Manuel Marmulejo-Caurenta of Coachella, and two children from Thermal, 7-year-old Matteo Emmanuel Robledo-Felix and 6-year-old Ariadne Isabella Robledo-Felix.

All five occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.

City News Service contributed to this report.