Double Fatal Winchester Crash Victims Identified

WINCHESTER, CA – Two women who died last week after they were hit by a vehicle while waiting at a stoplight in Winchester have been publicly identified by the Riverside County Coroner's Office.

One victim was identified as 31-year-old Elizabeth Vera of Hemet. The other was 61-year-old Joan Hoffenberg, also of Hemet, according to the coroner's office. Both women were pronounced dead at the scene of the 9:48 a.m. collision on Friday at Winchester Road (SR-79) and Domenigoni Parkway.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the incident unfolded after a 54-year-old Winchester man lost control of his Nissan Titan pickup truck while headed northbound on SR-79 at approximately 60 mph.

"He attempted to make a right turn onto eastbound Domenigoni Parkway, but due to his speed and the wet roadway surface, he failed to negotiate the turn and struck the concrete center divider," CHP Officer Darren Meyer said. "The front of the Titan then struck the left side of a 1995 Chevrolet Blazer, which was stopped in the left turn pocket of westbound Domenigoni Parkway at the intersection of SR-79."

Hoffenberg was in the Blazer and died about 25 minutes after she was hit, according to the CHP and coroner's reports.

After the pickup truck hit the Blazer, the CHP says it continued to roll on top of it. Then, it hit the left side of a 1995 Honda Accord which was stopped in the lane next to the Blazer.

Vera suffered fatal injuries and died less than 10 minutes later, coroner's reports indicate.

"The Accord was then pushed into the left side of a 2004 Chevrolet pick-up truck, which was stopped at the same intersection, adjacent to the Accord," Meyer added.

A 29-year-old Temecula man was in that vehicle but was uninjured, according to Meyer.

"After striking the Accord, the Titan overturned, eventually coming to rest on its wheels," he said.

The driver of the Titan pickup truck suffered head injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital, Meyer said. Two others from the Blazer were hospitalized with minor injuries.

The crash is still under investigation, but officials say alcohol and/or drugs have been ruled out as contributing factors.

SEE ALSO:

• Mass Casualty Crash: 2 Dead, 3 Trapped, 5 Injured in Winchester Road Wreck

Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone