Looky-loos driving past a traffic crash on Highway 62 Sunday morning crashed into the back of a Sheriff’s patrol car. Luckily, no one was injured during the second crash. About 9:15 a.m., Gary Horn, 40, was driving a 2015 Toyota Sienna westbound on the highway. As he approached Monte Vista Avenue, Trina Ochoa, 50, of Pomona, who was driving a 2015 Dodge Challenger eastbound on Highway 62, made a left turn on to Monte Vista Avenue in front of Ochoa’s Challenger. Horn was not able to stop in time and collided into the passenger side of Ochoa’s vehicle, sending one vehicle onto the north side of the highway, and the other onto the south side. Six people—five males and a woman—in the van suffered minor injuries and were taken to Hi-Desert Medical Center. Ochoa was not injured.
While deputies were investigating the crash, a Twentynine Palms fire truck was parked on the north shoulder of the highway, blocking Monte Vista Avenue. Deputy E. Gonzalez had parked his patrol car in the number 2 westbound lane of the highway, just west of the fire truck, with all his emergency lights flashing, to divert traffic into the number one lane of the highway. Alexandre Gayot, 27, of France, was driving a black Nissan Murano westbound on the highway, and was gawking at the damaged cars involved in the crash. CHP Officer Baker said after Gayot passed the fire engine, he drove “at a significant speed” into the back end of Gonzalez’s patrol car. Baker said Gayot and his two passengers were all wearing seat belts, and the air bags deployed, and they were not injured in the crash. Deputy Gonzalez was not in the patrol car when it was hit. Officer Baker does not expect charges to be filed in the second crash.
