An off-road vehicle crash in the Johnson Valley off-highway vehicle area left one passenger dead and two others with injuries. According to a report from the California Highway Patrol, at about 5:20 pm Tuesday, January 31, a Polaris RZR with three people inside was driving northbound in the Better Sand Dunes area. The vehicle crested a hill, overturned and rolled over several times. Everyone in the vehicle was wearing helmets and harnesses. The rear passenger, a 28-year-old woman from Yucaipa, sustained major injuries and was airlifted from the scene to a Morongo Basin Ambulance nearby where she was pronounced dead. The 30-year-old driver and 24-year-old front passenger sustained moderate and major injuries, respectively, and were transported to Desert Regional Medical Center. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the CHP. Neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be a factor.
