Murrieta Man Dies At Hospital Following 215 Freeway Crash

MURRIETA, CA — A 75-year-old man has died from his injuries after a crash Monday evening on Interstate 215.

Elliot Uhrich of Murrieta was pronounced dead at Wildomar's Inland Valley Medical Center shortly before 10:30 p.m. Monday following the crash on the southbound side of the freeway. According to the Riverside County Sheriff Coroner's Bureau, the crash occurred a few hours earlier, just north of Los Alamos Road, at approximately 5:40 p.m.

Uhrich was in a medical transport van being driven by 47-year-old Murrieta driver. The van was in the No. 3 lane of the freeway, going about 60 mph, California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Lassig said.

The van driver encountered slowing traffic and applied the brakes, at which point the vehicle "veered to the right, toward the right shoulder," Lassig said.

A 2009 Nissan Maxima occupied by a Temecula man was parked on the shoulder for unspecified reasons. According to Lassig, the van struck the left rear of the Nissan, causing major injuries to Uhrich, who was in the rear of the van.

The van driver suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from Murrieta's Rancho Springs Medical Center.

The Nissan driver was not hurt.

"We need motorists to slow down, drive with a high visual horizon and keep a safe space cushion," Lassig said. "If everyone practiced this, traffic collisions would be reduced drastically."

Lassig said the crash investigation is ongoing.