A 25-year-old male, assigned to the Twentynine Palms Marine Corp Base, was killed in a crash early Saturday morning. The man, who has not yet been identified by the coroner’s office, was driving a 1997 Ford Expedition northbound on Amboy Road about five miles north of Sheephole Pass east of Twentynine Palms about 5:30 a.m. As he entered a left-hand curve in the road, he lost control of the Expedition, which struck a raised dirt embankment on the west side of Amboy Road. After striking the berm, his vehicle left the road and rolled over several times in the open desert. After the collision, the man, who was wearing his seatbelt, left the vehicle and tried to walk to the highway. At about 6:20 Saturday morning, a passing motorist spotted the damaged vehicle and notified CHP. Wonder Valley paramedics found the driver dead at the scene when they arrived. When next of kin has been notified, his name will be released. The CHP is investigating.
Two people were sent to the hospital, and Old Woman Springs Road was shut down for about an hour, after a head-on collision Saturday evening. According to Sheriff’s Sergeant Matt Yost, witnesses reported that Eugene Hughes, 21, a corporal with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, was passing vehicles at a high rate of speed as he was driving southbound on Old Woman Springs Road shortly after 6 p.m. Just north of Buena Vista, Hughes’ Nissan Pathfinder collided head-on with an older model Toyota pick-up truck. The two vehicles ended up about 300 feet apart after the crash. The collision pushed back the front driver side of truck about two feet, and the male driver of the truck had to be extricated using the Jaws of Life. He was flown by Mercy Air to Desert Hospital in Palm Springs. His female passenger was taken by ambulance to Desert Hospital. Hughes was not injured in the crash. Yost said Eugene Hughes will be charged with investigation of reckless driving. Vehicles traveling both directions on Old Woman Springs Road were diverted during the investigation of the crash.
Only one person was taken to the hospital in a Friday evening crash that looked worse than it was. According to Twentynine Palms Fire Captain Matt Helmkamp, shortly before 6 p.m., two vehicles collided on Highway 62 at Lear Avenue. One of the vehicles then skidded into a military bus that was at Lear attempting to pull out onto the highway. Only one person was injured in the multi-vehicle crash, and the woman was taken to Hi-Desert Medical Center with minor injuries. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
