Winchester Man ID'd In Fatal Temecula Crash, Driver Hospitalized: CHP

TEMECULA, CA — A Winchester man died, and a Winchester woman was hospitalized with traumatic injuries in a rollover crash Sunday, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Lassig.

According to the Riverside County coroner's office, Steven Craine, 50, of Winchester, was pronounced dead at the scene, just east of Temecula on SR-79 at Pauba Road. The woman driver — reported by the coroner's office as Craine's wife — was taken to Inland Valley Medical Center by ambulance, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Lassig.

Just after 1:15 p.m., witnesses reported seeing a 2018 silver Nissan Sentra heading toward Temecula on Highway 79 just past SR-371 in Aguanga.

"After three miles of following the car, the witness saw some sort of an altercation between the driver and passenger inside the vehicle," Lassig said. "The Nissan was reported as driving between 60 and 80 miles per hour and swerved into opposite lanes more than once during that altercation."

As the car approached Pauba Road on SR-79, the driver failed to navigate a curve due to its speed and flipped multiple times, he said. The male passenger, who was not thought to be wearing his seatbelt, was ejected from the car. Cal Fire/Riverside County Firefighters declared him dead at the scene. Firefighters used the jaws of life to forcibly remove the woman from the wreckage, according to Cal Fire.

Both excessive speed and alcohol are suspected in this collision, Lassig said.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and if anyone witnessed the collision or altercation between the driver and passenger of this car, CHP asks that you call 951-506-2000.