Two people died Thursday afternoon when an SUV and a semi-truck collided head-on along Highway 79 near Horizon View Street in Temecula.
The crash was reported around 2:40 p.m. Oct. 22, according to Patch, citing the California Highway Patrol incident log. The SUV was totaled in the collision and caught fire. Neither occupant escaped the burning vehicle.
Riverside County Fire Department crews reached the scene within minutes and extinguished the blaze. Both SUV occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities have not been released, and their genders could not immediately be confirmed.
The truck driver got out of his rig on his own. He suffered minor injuries but declined an ambulance, according to reports from the scene.
What investigators know
The CHP stated that the tractor-trailer and SUV were traveling at unconfirmed speeds along the four-lane corridor. One of the vehicles crossed into opposing traffic lanes, but authorities could not immediately determine which one. It had been raining minutes before the collision, according to the report.
The truck driver has also not been identified.
Road closure and hazmat response
The collision triggered a Sig Alert for Highway 79 near Horizon View Street at 2:53 p.m. Officers partially shut down the highway and directed traffic around the scene.
Beyond the fire, the semi leaked oil and other fluids, requiring a hazardous materials cleanup. Removal of the wreckage was expected to take several hours.
The CHP is investigating the crash. No additional details were immediately available.
