Deadly 91 Freeway Crash Halts Traffic, Wreaks Havoc For Commuters

CORONA, CA — A motorcyclist was killed Thursday in a collision with a Tesla on the Riverside (91) Freeway, which was partially shut down because of the wreck.

The fatality occurred about 4:45 a.m. on the eastbound 91 near Magnolia Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Officer Keith Ballantyne said that the victim, whose identity was not immediately released, was riding his Yamaha V-Star in the HOV lane when a Tesla Model Y approached from behind.

"At some point, a collision occurred involving the two vehicles," Ballantyne said. "The rider of the Yamaha was ejected from the motorcycle."

The man was pronounced dead at the scene minutes later by Riverside Fire Department paramedics.

The Tesla driver, whose identity was not disclosed, was not hurt.
"Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in this collision," Ballantyne said.

The motorist was not arrested.

The crash prompted CHP officers to shut down all four eastbound lanes at the location, diverting traffic off of the freeway at Pierce Street into Riverside.

A SigAlert was issued at 5 a.m. because of the ensuing traffic jam.
As of 12:30 p.m., the lane closures were still in effect because of how the wreckage was dispersed, according to the CHP.

Traffic streaming in from Corona was nearly at a standstill, Caltrans District 8 freeway cameras showed.

It was unclear when the shutdown would be lifted.

Drivers are advised to seek alternate routes, and those stuck on the freeway are bing diverted onto Pierce Street, CHP said.