An off-road traffic collision during King of the Hammers left one man dead on Friday (January 26).
According to the San Bernardino County Coroner’s office Austin Angstead, a 33 year-old resident of Belfair, Washington, was involved in an off-road vehicle collision at 1:45 p.m. Friday, near Old Woman Springs Road and Boone Road in Johnson Valley.
It is unknown at this time if anyone else was injured in the collision. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the incident, and has not yet provided further information.
UPDATED, 1/30/23: The CHP has described the circumstances of the collision as within the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area. The report that Angstead, was riding a 2009 Yamaha quad northbound on a dirt trail, and that Russell Blyler, a 63-year-old male from Donsife, Pennsylvania was driving a 2023 custom built Ultra 4 all-terrain racing vehicle eastbound on a different dirt trail, approaching the Yamaha. They report that the front of the racing vehicle struck the left side of the Yamaha.
Blyler and his passenger were uninjured. The CHP is continuing their investigation into the crash, but at this time alcohol and/or drugs did not appear to have been a factor.
