The driver of a Toyota passenger car suffered minor injuries when he and a big rig collided on Highway 62 in Yucca Valley Thursday afternoon. About 5:45 p.m., Brandon Bahner, 27, of Yucca Valley was driving eastbound on the highway when for unknown reasons, Bahner crossed the center line into westbound lanes near Trojan Lane and collided with a tractor-trailer driven by Julian Orellana-Mendoza, 31, of Fresno. Jay’e Jones at Strata Tattoo Lab told Z107.7 News that after the collision, the truck headed directly toward her building before the driver over-corrected, and the big rig skidded to a stop on the opposite curb, blocking eastbound lanes of traffic. Meanwhile, the Toyota was spinning from the collision and came to a rest in the westbound lanes. Jones said Bahner was unconscious when she arrived, and his face had many abrasions, cuts and a bloody nose. Brandon Bahner was taken to Desert Hospital in Palm Springs as a precaution. Julian Orellana-Mendoza was uninjured. It does not appear that alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash. The highway was closed down in both directions for almost two hours during the investigation.
While the highway was closed–at 6:22 p.m.–Audrey Burrel, 38, of Yucca Valley, drove past the cones blocking traffic because she wanted to go to Del Taco. When she stopped her car, a deputy approached her to find out why she entered a restricted area. At that time, Burrel drove forward and struck the deputy with her vehicle. Fortunately, the deputy was uninjured. Audrey Burrel was arrested for investigation of misdemeanor battery on a police officer, booked into the Morongo Basin Jail, cited and released about three hours later.
