Another Person Killed In A Menifee Crash: 3rd In Just 4 Days

MENIFEE, CA — Another fatal crash was reported in Menifee, the third in just four days.

The most recent was reported at approximately 3:18 Tuesday at Ethanac and Matthews roads, between Palomar and Antelope roads, according to the Menifee Police Department.

Mauricio Mendez, 28, of Chino was killed and multiple people were injured in the head-on collision between a Riverside Transit Agency bus and a sports car, authorities said.

Lt. Denise Keith said Mendez was at the wheel of a Ford Mustang going west on Matthews, where witnesses observed him weaving in and out of traffic lanes as he approached the intersection, apparently to go around slower vehicles.

Keith said an RTA bus loaded with an unconfirmed number of passengers was going eastbound on Matthews when the Mustang appeared directly in front of it.

The bus driver was unable to maneuver out of the Mustang's path, and the two vehicles impacted, police said.

Mendez was pronounced dead at the scene by Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department paramedics. He was the only one in the car.

"Multiple passengers on the RTA bus suffered minor to moderate injuries," Keith said.

The victims were treated at the scene, with some taken to a regional trauma center for further evaluation and treatment.

"The Menifee Police Department sends our condolences to the family of the deceased and a quick recovery to the injured RTA passengers," Keith said.

The crash remains under investigation.

Ethanac Road was closed for several hours during the crash investigation.

Another fatal wreck was reported Sunday in Menifee. Judith Armijo, 75, of Menifee died at the scene following the 9:51 a.m. crash at the intersection of Watson and Menifee roads, according to authorities.

She was killed in a side-impact collision at the intersection, where she apparently pulled in front of a motorist who had the right-of-way, authorities said Monday.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department paramedics reached the location minutes later and pronounced Armijo dead.

During the crash investigation, Menifee police closed Menifee Road, between Calle De Caballos and Citation Avenue. Watson Road, between Winner Circle and Cumming Avenue, was also closed.

On Saturday, a motorcyclist died in a crash with a pickup truck in Menifee.

The crash was reported at 4:17 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Bundy Canyon and Wright roads, according to the Menifee Police Department.

Officers found that a Harley-Davidson motorcycle struck the driver's side of a Ford pickup. The motorcyclist was knocked off and suffered major injuries.

Lifesaving efforts were performed on the motorcyclist, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was identified as 55-year-old Canon Squires of Menifee, according to the Riverside County coroner's office.

Neither alcohol nor drugs were suspected to be factors in either weekend crash, according to police.

Read more about the weekend crashes here.

Anyone with additional information about the collisions was encouraged to call the Menifee Police Department Traffic Unit at 951-723-1690.

—City News Service and Patch Editor Toni McAllister contributed to this report.