News 24/7

Upland police will conduct DUI checkpoint Thursday

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:43:52 -0800

The Upland Police Department will conduct a DUI /driver's license checkpoint from 6 p.m. Thursday until 1:15 a.m. Friday at an undisclosed location in the city.

Officers will check driver's licenses and check motorists for signs of drug and/or alcohol intoxication.

The checkpoint is funded by a grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to an Upland police news release.

- lori.consalvo@inlandnewspapers.com

I-210 crash injures two; prompts freeway closure

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:00:57 -0800

A San Bernardino woman suffered major injuries in a rollover crash that forced the closure of the 210 Freeway this morning.

La Verne firefighters rescued the woman, who became trapped in her Ford Escort when the vehicle flipped on an embankment, said California Highway Patrol Officer Francisco Villalobos.

The CHP shut down both sides of the 210 Freeway at Foothill Boulevard so a helicopter could land on the highway and fly the woman to Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.

The crash was reported at 3:35 a.m. on the eastbound 210. Officers say an Upland man in a Toyota Avalon struck the woman's Ford Escort, causing both vehicles to veer out of control and overturn. The man received moderate injuries and was taken to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center for treatment.

Officers issued a Sig Alert during the crash and shut down the three right lanes, Villalobos said. The Sig Alert was canceled at 5:03 a.m.

melissa.pinion-whitt@inlandnewspapers.com

San Bernardino police ticket 51 drivers during DUI checkpoint

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:00:42 -0800

San Bernardino police wrote 51 tickets and arrested 11 people during a sobriety checkpoint Saturday.

The eight-hour checkpoint also resulted in eight vehicles being impounded.

Three of the motorists arrested were suspected of driving while under the influence. Eight other people were suspected of other various charges or had arrest warrants, police said.

melissa.pinion-whitt@inlandnewspapers.com

Elderly woman dies in Mira Loma crash

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:21:42 -0800

A 94-year-old woman died after the medical transport van in which she rode collided with a tree Saturday afternoon.

Catherine Quigley of Irvine was the passenger in a medical transport vehicle that was on the Van Buren Boulevard on-ramp to the westbound 60 Freeway at 3:30 p.m. when the crash occurred.

Quigley was wearing her seat belt when the van left the roadway and went down an embankment before colliding with a tree, according to a Riverside County Coroner's news release.

She was taken to Riverside Community Hospital where she died at 5:50 p.m..

The California Highway Patrol is investigating.

-jannise.johnson@inlandnewspapers.com

San Bernardino man dies in motorcycle crash

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:14:44 -0800

A 37-year-old San Bernardino man died early Sunday morning.

Kevin Henry Sparks, was riding a motorcycle at 3:10 a.m. north on the 215 Freeway just north of Highway 74 in Perris when he struck a fence post.

He was ejected during the crash. He was taken to Menifee Valley Medical Center in Sun City for treatment. He was wearing his helmet at the time of the crash.

He was declared dead at 4:05 a.m., according to a Riverside County Coroner's news release.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.

-jannise.johnson@inlandnewspapers.com

California Highway Patrol investigates fatality

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:06:49 -0800

The California Highway Patrol has responded to a reported fatal crash on Mountain Avenue just south of Shinn Road.

An area resident heard a crash and called law enforcement. As of 8:51 p.m., the CHP had requested the San Bernardino County Coroner.

Man dies in Apple Valley collision

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:09:51 -0800

A 48-year-old Los Angeles man died after his Jeep Cherokee was hit by a tow truck Saturday morning.

Jose Velasquez was driving west on Stoddard Wells Road in his 2005 Jeep Cherokee when a tow truck traveling north on Dale Evans Parkway hit him broadside, according to the San Bernardino County Coroner's Department.

Velasquez died at the scene. His passenger and the tow truck driver were treated at local hospitals and released.

Investigators from the Apple Valley Sheriff's station are looking into the collision.

-jannise.johnson@inlandnewspapers.com

Woman killed in Colton car crash identified

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:17:36 -0800

Coroner's officials have identified a Los Angeles woman killed early Friday in a Colton car crash as 32-year-old Amanda Jones.

Jones was speeding about 1 a.m. in her 2007 Toyota Corolla north on Pepper Avenue, passing other vehicles on the right hand shoulder, officials said.

While going through the intersection at San Bernardino Avenue, she hit a traffic signal and the Toyota flipped onto its roof. Colton firefighters confirmed her dead at the scene.

stacia.glenn@inlandnewspapers.com

UPDATE: One person dies after traffic collision on the 210 Freeway in Claremont

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:54:41 -0800

The California Highway Patrol incident page has reported at least one person dead after a multi-vehicle collision this morning on the 210 Freeway in Claremont.

At least four people from the collision were transported to local hospitals.

"There is an indication that we have a fatality," said Heather Hoglund, public information officer for the CHP Southern Division. "No coroner was called out to the scene. One of the parties must have died at the hospital."

A Toyota 4-Runner and a Toyota Camry originally collided about 5:40 a.m. on the eastbound 210, just west of North Mills Avenue. At 5:44 a.m., three motorcycles and a Honda hit the original collision and two minutes later another vehicle collided into the chaos, according to the CHP log.

- lori.consalvo@inlandnewspapers.com

Congress, interest groups gear up for highway bill

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:00:19 -0800

WASHINGTON (AP) -- It was an ironic start to legislative efforts to tackle the nation's
transportation woes.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar completely missed a news conference on innovative transit programs Thursday because his car was stuck in traffic, behind an accident in a congested commuter tunnel.

The Minnesota Democrat has another news conference scheduled Friday with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, who estimate Congress needs to spend $470 billion to get the nation's transportation system back on track.

That event, and Thursday's gathering organized by the Environmental Defense Fund, are two of several being staged in coming weeks as interest groups try to influence the shape of a six-year highway and transit construction bill expected to total roughly a half-trillion dollars. Oberstar hopes to introduce the legislation in May and win swift House passage.

Motorcyclist killed on 40 Freeway in Newberry Springs

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:00:03 -0800

A Mira Loma motorcyclist died Thursday after hitting an object on the 40 Freeway and losing control of the bike.

Paramedics took Jack Sylvester Jennings, 59, to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs where he was pronounced dead at 3:44 p.m., Riverside County coroner's officials said.

He was riding on the eastbound 40 east of National Trails Highway at 12:23 p.m. when he crashed. Coroner's officials said he was wearing a helmet.

melissa.pinion-whitt@inlandnewspapers.com

Colton crash claims life of Los Angeles woman

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:00:13 -0800

A Los Angeles woman was killed when she crashed a car into a traffic signal pole this morning in Colton.

The 32-year-old unidentified woman was driving north on Pepper Avenue near San Bernardino Avenue at 1:04 a.m. when she veered off the road, police said.

Her 2007 Toyota Corolla slammed into a pole and the woman died at the scene.

melissa.pinion-whitt@inlandnewspapers.com

Passenger vehicles cause most big-rig crashes

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:05:47 -0800

IRVINE (AP) --The California Highway Patrol says the majority of traffic crashes involving big-rigs are caused by drivers of passenger vehicles.

The CHP released a report Wednesday showing 56 percent of California's 7,262 collisions involving tractor-trailer rigs last year were caused by unsafe passenger vehicle maneuvers.

The CHP wants to educate drivers on traffic safety when they are around big rigs. Sgt. Ryan Shackleford says officers will soon conduct aircraft and CHP cruiser sweeps in Orange County to enforce traffic laws involving trucks.

- The Associated Press

Caltrans to run freeway meters 28 days along I-210

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:00:44 -0800

On-ramp meters along the 210 Freeway from Claremont to Pasadena will be turned on for 28 days beginning Friday, and Caltrans officials are urging motorists to stop for the meters.

The 58 functioning ramp meters along 26 miles of the west- and eastbound 210 Freeway will be on 24 hours a day through May 21.

Caltrans advised drivers to stop for the red meter lights and proceed onto the freeway when the light turns green, regardless of freeway conditions or time of day.

melissa.pinion-whitt@inlandnewspapers.com

Mountain View bridge widening almost done

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:30:38 -0800

From Loma Linda Now:

Crews are almost finished with the widening of the Mountain View Avenue bridge over San Timoteo Creek.

Construction is expected to be done in August.

Work began about a year ago on the project, which involves adding a lane to the east side of Mountain View Avenue over the creek.

stephen.wall@inlandnewspapers.com