Friday’s rain resulted in at least three crashes in Morongo Valley, two of which closed Highway 62 for about two hours, and rain also forced the closure of several roads in Yucca Valley. Managing editor Tami Roleff gives the details of the crashes and road closures……
At 9 a.m., a vehicle being driven eastbound on the highway skidded off the road at Hoopa Trail, nearly going down the embankment at the bottom of the Yucca Grade. The driver was not injured in this crash. The second crash occurred just after 11. Shawna McGillic, 35, of Yucca Valley, was driving her 2002 Honda Civic westbound on the highway down the Morongo Grade. CHP Officer Stephanie Hamilton said McGillic was driving too fast in the rain, and made an unsafe turning movement, which sent her car off the highway in an area where there was no guard rail, about three-quarters of a mile east of Indian Canyon. Her car dropped about 10 feet down an embankment, rolling over in the process. Morongo Valley Fire Department used the Jaws of Life to extricate McGillic, who was wearing her seatbelt. McGillic suffered major head trauma and was taken to Desert Hospital in Palm Springs. The highway was closed until after the third crash of the day, which happened about 12:20, just west of Hess Boulevard at the top of the Morongo Grade. A trailer being towed by a Ford pick-up truck went out of control, causing the truck to rollover. The driver and passenger were not injured during the roll-over, and managed to get out of the truck themselves.
In Yucca Valley, the rain closed several roads , starting about 2 p.m. Paxton Avenue was closed at Balsa Avenue. Indio and Yucca Mesa Roads were both closed at the Yucca Wash. In addition, Grand and Palm Avenues were closed between Cassia and Little League Drive.
