Girl, 17, Dies in Downtown Riverside Crash

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A 17-year-old girl was fatally injured Monday when a vehicle driven by a possibly impaired driver slammed into a tree near downtown Riverside, police reported.

The crash was reported about 4:50 a.m. on Market Street, between Second and Third streets, according to the Riverside Police Department.

Sgt. Ben Shafer said the victim was in the right front seat of a 2000 Honda Civic driven by an 18-year-old Riverside man who was headed south on Market when, he lost control of the compact car, which veered into a tree.

The impact crumpled the front end of the car, trapping the girl, according to Riverside Fire Department Battalion Chief Tony Perna.

He said the driver suffered moderate injuries and was quickly extricated from the vehicle, but firefighters had to use industrial saws to remove the girl from the wreckage. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to Shafer, the driver, whose identity was not immediately released, was possibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The young man was taken to Riverside Community Hospital for treatment.

The crash remains under investigation.

— By City News Service / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone