Two teenagers were killed, and three other people were injured in a horrific crash caused by a suspected drunk driver in Morongo Valley Wednesday night.
CHP investigators say at 10:30 p.m., Colin Campbell of Los Angeles, an Oscar-nominated movie director, writer, and producer, was driving his gray 2018 Toyota Prius eastbound on Highway 62. As he made a left turn into the Circle K parking lot, Nicole Packer, 33, of Morongo Valley, who was driving a white 2018 Ford Fiesta westbound on the highway at a high rate of speed, collided with the Prius.
Campbell’s wife, Gail Lerner, 49, a producer and writer for Will and Grace, and Black-ish, was sitting in the front passenger seat and sustained moderate injuries. Campbell and the two teens—a 17-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy—all suffered major injuries; Campbell, Lerner, and their children were taken by Morongo Basin Ambulance to Desert Hospital in Palm Springs. The girl died at the hospital at 12:10 a.m. Thursday morning. The boy was flown to Loma Linda Children’s hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Nicole Packer also received major injuries and was taken to Desert Hospital. Investigators intend to arrest Nicole Packer for investigation of felony driving under the influence causing injury. Packer has been arrested at least twice for driving under the influence and pleaded guilty to at least one previous charge of DUI.
