One person was killed in a high speed collision involving a garbage truck on Twentynine Palms Highway.
The California Highway Patrol said that on Tuesday (January 14), at approximately 4:15 p.m., a Nissan Sentra was traveling at a high speed eastbound on Twentynine Palms Highway near Kerr Avenue. The CHP says that a Chevrolet Silverado was traveling eastbound in front of the Nissan at a slow speed.
The CHP says that the Nissan steered to the right to avoid hitting the Chevrolet, and the driver of the Nissan lost control, hitting the Chevrolet first then moving into the westbound lanes of traffic where it collided into a Burrtec trash truck and then into a Tesla.
The driver of the Nissan was taken to Hi-Desert Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. He was identified by the San Bernardino Coroner’s office as Benjamin Perez, a 31 year-old resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The driver of the Tesla was taken to Hi-Desert Medical Center for minor injuries, and the Burrtec driver was uninjured.
This crash is still under investigation by the CHP, and they say it is unknown at this time if alcohol and/or drugs was a factor.
They are asking if anyone has information pertaining to this crash, particularly the location of the Chevrolet or its driver, they ask you to call the Morongo Basin CHP Office at 760-366-3707.
The Chevrolet is described as a dark green Chevrolet Silverado extended cab or four door, with step rails, a missing front license plate, and possibly a 4X4 decal on the left rear of the bed.
