El Cajon Man Identified in Deadly Motorcycle Crash

MURRIETA, CA – A man and woman died over the weekend in a motorcycle crash in Murrieta, police said Monday. Police and coroner's officials have identified the victims as 20-year-old Erica Cortez of Murrieta and 28-year-old James Hann of El Cajon.

According to Murrieta Police Sgt. Jay Froboese, the crash happened at 5:55 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Jefferson and Kalmia.

Hann, with Cortez as a passenger, was driving a 2010 Harley Davidson motorcycle through the intersection when they were struck by a Land Rover SUV, according to the sergeant. Both victims died at the scene.

"The Murrieta Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Team responded to the scene and handled the investigation," Froboese said in a news release. "At this point in the investigation it appears the motorcycle was westbound Kalmia and the Land Rover was southbound Jeffesrson Avenue."

The circumstances surrounded the crash are still unclear and it's not yet known who is was a fault, according to the sergeant.

"The cause of the accident and fault in the collision has not been determined at this time," he said. "It is also unknown at this time if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the collision."

Froboese said there were likely "numerous" witnesses to the crash and asked that anyone who may have seen it reach out to the police department at 951-461-6396.