East County News Service
April 7, 2017 (Lemon Grove) — Three separate accidents on Palm Street in Lemon Grove on April 4th and 5th caused serious damages and injuries, Sergeant Jorge Dueno with the Sheriff’s Department reports. No charges are expected to be filed, as drugs, alcohol and distracted driving did not appear to be factors.
Shortly before 11 p.m. on April 4th, a deputy on patrol discovered a multi-vehicle crash in front of 8290 Palm Street. R. Fields, a 30-year-old driver, had struck three parked vehicles. The driver was found unconscious in his vehicle. He was transported to a hospital via ambulance for treatment of injuries.
Then on April 5 at 5:26 a.m., deputies responded to a collision in the 8300 block of Palm Street, where a vehicle driven by 21-year—old D. Malacara had also struck three parked vehicles—just two houses east of the collision a day earlier. This time, a media news crew reportedly witnessed the collision. The driver, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, was not injured.
The third collision occurred on April 5 around 7:25 a.m. in the 8000 block of Palm Street. J. Rio, the 22-year-old driver of a Volkswagen Jetta with two passengers including a 7-year-old child, reportedly lost sight of the road momentarily and collided head-on with a pickup truck driven by a Sheriff’s Community Service Officer. The truck had stopped in a left turn lane. The occupants of the Jetta complained of pain and sought medical help on their own. The officer was not injured. Both vehicles were inoperable and had to be towed.
Investigations into the causes of these crashes continues.