Big Rig Hit-and-Run: 2 Seriously Injured, Rescue Helicopters Land on Freeway

A big rig driver was involved Thursday in a hit-and-run with a car and a van on Interstate 10, and one side of the freeway was closed while helicopter crews collected two seriously injured motorists, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said.

The crash occurred about 1:20 p.m. Dec. 19 on the eastbound 10 east of Chiriaco Summit, Indio CHP Officer Mike Radford said in a statement.

"An unknown tractor-trailer was traveling approximately 60 miles per hour in the right lane of I-10 eastbound, west of Hayfield Road," Radford said. 

At the same time Rebecca Irwin, 32, of Los Angeles, was driving a 2005 Scion TC about 70 miles per hour in the left lane of I-10 eastbound, directly to the left of the tractor-trailer, Radford said.

"The tractor-trailer began entering the left lane unsafely, causing Irwin to drive to the left, into the dirt center divider and lose control of the Scion," Radford said. "The Scion rolled, traveled across the center divider and traveled into I-10 westbound traffic."

The Scion was then struck head on by a 2014 Dodge Caravan driven by 35 year old John Carreon of Mesa, Arizona, Radford said. There were four passengers in the Caravan, including children ages 6 months, 6 years and 9 years old.

"The Scion came to rest partially blocking the right lane of I-10 westbound," Radford said. "The Dodge came to rest in the open desert. Both drivers appeared to be wearing their seatbelts and had to be extricated by Cal Fire."

The westbound 10 was closed about 35 minutes to allow for safe landing and loading of patients into both helicopters, Radford said.

"Irwin was transported by a CHP helicopter to Desert Regional Medical Center with major injuries," Radford said. "Carreon was transported by a Mercy Air helicopter to Desert Regional Medical Center with major injuries."

The four passengers in the Caravan, Tonia Carreon, 36, Sofia Carreon, 9, Jon-Carlo Carreon, 6, and Gianna Carreon, 6 months old, were not injured, Radford said.

"The driver of the tractor-trailer fled the scene after the traffic collision, failing to provide the required information after being involved in a traffic collision," Radford said.

According to the CHP:

The driver of any vehicle involved in a collision resulting in injury to or death of any person shall give his or her name, current residence address, the names and current residence addresses of any occupant of the driver's vehicle injured in the accident, the registration number of the vehicle he or she is driving, and the name and current residence address of the owner to the person struck or the driver or occupants of any vehicle collided with, and shall give the information to any traffic or police officer at the scene of the collision.

Anyone with more info was urged to call Indio CHP at (760) 772-8900.