Coroner IDs 80-Year-Old Golf Cart Driver Killed In Country Club Crash

PALM DESERT, CA —The Riverside County Sheriff's Department Coroner's Bureau identified an 80-year-old man killed in a golf cart crash Tuesday.

Sam Karagavoorian of Palm Desert, 80, was pronounced dead at the Desert Regional Medical Center as a result of injuries sustained in the crash, according to the coroner's report.

At 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, California Highway Patrol officers arrived at the intersection of Bonanza Drive and Mojave Sage Street, where a vehicle and a golf cart collided in a private country club community.

The crash was initially described by emergency responders as "a major injury," CHP officer David Torres said. "It wasn't until later it was found to be a fatality."

By the time officers arrived at the intersection in the private country club community, Karagavoorian had already been transported to Desert Regional Medical Center, according to Torres.

The vehicle driver stayed at the intersection and cooperated with authorities, Torres said, adding that early investigative results did not indicate drugs or alcohol were involved.

Anyone with information was asked to contact the Indio CHP office at 760-772-5300.