A Palm Desert woman survived a rollover accident Sunday morning, only to be killed a short time later when a semi truck crashed into her car while rescue crews were attempting to remove her from the vehicle.
This is the truck involved in the fatal crash on Interstate 10. It pushed the minivan about 100 yards @MyDesert pic.twitter.com/uyYJz5XiZW
— Colin Atagi (@TDSColinAtagi) February 7, 2016
Maria Hortensia Vera, 56, was driving east on I-10 near Jefferson Street when her Volkswagen Jetta rolled onto its side around 6:45 a.m. As emergency personnel were removing Vera from her car, Robbie Macias, 53, drove his truck through traffic cones set up to divert drivers away from the accident scene and collided with Vera’s car, reports the Press Enterprise.
Macias claimed he drove through the cones because he didn’t see the first crash site, reports The Desert Sun. Police claim the scene was properly marked and that traffic had been flowing smoothly for about 20 minutes before the crash.
Vera’s passenger, Axel Vera, 33, of Palm Springs, was reported uninjured. Macias was taken to the hospital and was not arrested, according to KESQ.
A preliminary investigation indicates the truck, which didn’t have a trailer, may have been going 50 mph, reports The Desert Sun. The accident is being investigated as a case of reckless driving.
