A Las Vegas man who tried to pass two other vehicles on Old Woman Springs Road Sunday caused a four-vehicle crash that sent three other people to the hospital. The California Highway Patrol says Kenneth Brown, 27, was driving a 2005 Hyundai Elentra southbound on Highway 247. Ahead of him—also traveling southbound—were Debbie Rowe, 56, of Landers, in a 1997 GMC Sonoma, and Dale Perdue, 32, also of Landers, in a 1999 Ford Ranger. Rowe had slowed her GMC to make a left-hand turn on to Reche Road and was waiting for Tiffanie Patscheck, 42, of Morongo Valley who was driving northbound in a 2014 Ford Edge, to clear the intersection. Brown accelerated to a high rate of speed to pass Perdue and Rowe in the northbound lanes, and caused the four-vehicle crash. Michael Riddle, 52, of Landers, a passenger in Rowe’s GMC, suffered major injuries and was flown to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. Perdue and Rowe both suffered minor injuries and they were taken by Morongo Basin Ambulance to Hi-Desert Medical Center. Kenneth Brown, and Tiffanie Patscheck and her passengers, were treated at the scene for minor injuries by first responders. Neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor in the crash. The California Highway Patrol is still investigating whether Brown was in a no-passing zone when he tried to pass the other two vehicles.
