One Killed, Two Injured in 18-Wheeler Accident on Soboba Rd in San Jacinto, CA
San Jacinto, CA -- April 28, 2022, one person was killed and two were injured in a collision between a semi-truck and a sedan on Soboba Road in San Jacinto.
Authorities say the incident happened around 9:50 a.m. on Soboba near Gilman Springs Road. Preliminary reports only say that a commercial truck overturned onto a passenger vehicle as the two were traveling in the area.
Fire and Rescue teams extricated the car's occupants. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while two passengers were taken to a local hospital. The truck driver's condition wasn't reported.
The accident is still under investigation. No further information is currently available.
Commentary on 18-Wheeler Accident on Soboba Rd in San Jacinto
Right now reports say only that two vehicles, one of them commercial, crashed with tragic results. Obviously there's a lot of important details and context missing from that, so while more facts are gathered I hope no one tries to fill in the blanks for themselves about what happened.
To find that out investigators still need to look into many potential factors: Possible driver mistakes like distraction or speeding, certainly, but also problems with the vehicles themselves, road conditions and design, visibility, lighting and sightlines, inclement weather, other traffic in the area, and many other elements that could have influenced or outright caused the wreck. Considering all the variables is an important part of any investigation.
As investigators keep working to connect the dots here, I want to repeat that making premature assumptions isn't a good idea. I've seen too many people rush to judgment after reading an early news release with few details only to change their minds completely after more information came to light. The same could happen here, though a "by the book" police investigation may not sufficiently explain things either.
After a major accident--particularly one involving a commercial truck--I always suggest an independent investigation to better ensure the whole truth is found. Whatever is learned, those affected deserve to know that every effort was made to bring them all the available answers. Any other actions beyond simply learning the truth would depend on what that truth turns out to be.
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