Rafael Ortega dies in fatal Murrieta car crash
Fatal Murrieta car crash death of Rafael Ortega
A motorist died after his pickup truck collided with a hillside along Interstate 15 near Murrieta, authorities reported on Friday. The man from Corona was seriously injured following the incident, which occurred shortly after 9 p.m. on Wednesday on northbound I-15, just south of Clinton Keith Road. According to the California Highway Patrol, Ortega was operating his 2005 Ford F-150 at an unverified speed when he apparently lost control and veered towards the shoulder, ending up “on a dirt embankment, causing the Ford to turn over.” Officer Mike Lassig mentioned that Ortega wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle. No other cars were involved in the accident. Paramedics from the Riverside County Fire Department arrived at the scene quickly and confirmed Ortega’s death at the location. The accident did not shut down any freeway lanes and is currently being investigated. An autopsy for the person involved was pending on Friday. The Temecula CHP office asked anyone with information about the event to call 951-466-4300.
