Chain reaction crash sends five people to the hospital in Moreno Valley

A head-on crash today in Moreno Valley that seriously injured a man led to a chain of collisions over an hour’s time that sent five people — including a sheriff’s deputy on a motorcycle — to the hospital.

(Flickr: NavyMailman)

According to the California Highway Patrol, the series of collisions began around 4:50 a.m. when the driver of a 2004 Nissan Frontier, 23-year-old Kevin Trillo, lost control of his pickup truck while headed east on Gilman Springs Road.

The Frontier veered into westbound lanes and slammed into a 2005 Honda Civic driven by a 27-year-old San Jacinto man, CHP Officer Darren Meyer said.

The victim, Armando Bituin, suffered serious injuries and was transported to Riverside County Regional Medical Center for treatment. Trillo declined to be treated.

According to Meyer, a few minutes after the first crash, a second one occurred on the westbound side of Gilman.

Randall Tice, 45, of San Jacinto apparently failed to notice traffic slowing for the wreck, Meyer said. Tice’s 1987 Ford pickup crashed into the rear end of a 2007 Chevrolet Suburban, which in turn slammed into the rear of a 2003 Saturn Vue, Meyer said.

All three drivers and a passenger were transported to Riverside County Regional Medical Center.

About 45 minutes later, with authorities still investigating the accident scenes, 42-year-old Douglas Prowe of San Jacinto attempted a U-turn to avoid the backup on westbound Gilman, according to Meyer.

He said about the time Prowe was attempting his 180-degree turn in his 2009 Saturn Aura, a deputy on his motorcycle unit rolled up, evidently trying to use the shoulder to get around the jam.

“As Prowe made a U-turn to go back eastbound on Gilman Springs Road, he failed to see (the deputy) approaching him from the rear (and turned directly in his path),” Meyer said.

The deputy broadsided the Saturn, causing him to be ejected from his bike.

He suffered minor injuries and was transported to RCRMC for treatment, according to Meyer.

Prowe was uninjured.

No arrests were made in connection with any of the collisions.