Driver Killed In Cathedral City Power Pole Crash ID'd By Coroner

PALM DESERT, CA — A driver who was killed when his vehicle drifted off a road in Cathedral City and struck a power pole was identified Sunday.

Officers from the Cathedral City Police Department responded to the 67300 block of East Palm Canyon Drive at about 2:50 a.m. Saturday regarding a single-vehicle crash. When they arrived, they found the driver of the vehicle dead at the scene.

The driver was identified as 42-year-old Christian Morales from Burbank.

Traffic investigators found that the red Toyota sedan was traveling westbound at a high rate of speed when Morales drifted off the roadway. The vehicle hit a Southern California Edison power pole and rolled over, knocking down the pole and power lines, according to authorities.

It was unknown if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.

The east and westbound lanes were closed while SCE made the scene safe and traffic investigators completed the investigation. East Palm Canyon Drive was reopened at 8:45 a.m.

Anyone with additional information about the crash was encouraged to contact Officer Brooke Kohrell at 760-770-0300, extension 728.