Imperial Valley Press Quick News

Highway Patrol probe into fatal crash is ongoing, officials say

An investigation into Tuesday night's fatal crash at Heber and Bowker roads is ongoing as California Highway Patrol authorities identified the federal agent who was involved, authorities said.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, identified as 35-year-old Cole Dotson, survived the crash that claimed three lives when the 2009 Ford Contour he drove plowed into a Dodge Minivan carrying five passengers. He was taken to an area hospital. Highway Patrol authorities said the Contour sedan went past a stop sign at the intersection.

Dotson, who was on duty during the evening crash, was heading north on Bowker Road while the Dodge minivan was going east on Heber Road. Officials with ICE would not confirm Dotson's identity nor would they comment on anything related to the incident as it is being investigated by Highway Patrol authorities.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer

One dead in Interstate 8 collision, another air-lifted to hospital

A New Mexico woman is dead after an accident on Interstate 8 east of In Ko Pah Road Tuesday afternoon.

Mike Smith and a woman whose name was not released, both of Arroyo, New Mexico, were traveling at about 50 miles per hour eastbound on Interstate 8 on a homemade trike, according to a California Highway Patrol press release.

The trike drifted to the right side of the road and hit the mountain side, according to the release. Both occupants were thrown from the vehicle.

Smith, 49, was airlifted to Palomar Hospital, and the 54-year-old passenger was transported to Frye's Mortuary, according to the release.

The trike did not have seat belts, but both occupants had helmets, according to the release.

The accident is still under investigation.

Read Thursday's edition online or in print for further details.

ELIZABETH VARIN, staff writer

County building evacuated because of earthquake

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit 23 miles Southeast of Calexico Wednesday morning.

The County Administration Building on Main Street in El Centro was evacuated and employees were sent home for the rest of the day, said County Executive Officer Ralph Cordova. It's protocol to evacuate after an earthquake, and employees were sent home because the initial inspection take about two to three hours.

Many employees were shaken up by the earthquake, he said. Frames fell off shelves and ceiling tiles fell in the building.

El Centro's Fire Station 1 has not received any calls about damages, said a captain at the station.

Calexico's Fire Station 2 hasn't had any related to the earthquake either, though many fire alarms did go off when the quake hit, said Calexico Fire Department Engineer Anthony Rivera.

Almost 30 earthquakes ranging from 2.0 to 4.0 followed the 5.8 magnitude quake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Web site. All centered around the same area south of the border.

Check quicknews for updates.

-- ELIZABETH VARIN, Staff Writer

Names of three who died in collision released

The Sheriff's Coroner has released the names of the three women killed in a collision Tuesday evening.

Sandra Garcia, 41, of Imperial was driving east on Heber Road with 47-year-old Patricia Reyes-Martinez of Mexicali, 49-year-old Maria Nieto of El Centro and two children when their 1990 Dodge Mini-Van was broadsided by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents vehicle, according to a press release from the California Highway Patrol with names provided by Jesus Lara, deputy coroner.

The agent, whose name has not been released, was driving North on Bowker Road and failed to stop for the posted stop sign at the intersection of Heber Road, according to the press release. The agent's 2009 Ford Contour hit the other vehicle, and both vehicles traveled into a drainage canal.

The on-duty agent was transported to Pioneers Memorial Hospital with major injuries, according to the press release.

The three women were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the release.

The two children, one an 11-year-old and the other a 1-year-old, were transported to El Centro Regional Medical Center with major injuries, according to the release.

No information about the children is able to be released, said El Centro Regional Medical Center Public Relations Director Kathleen Pipkin.

Read Thursday's edition online or in print for further details.

ELIZABETH VARIN, staff writer

5.8 magnitude earthquake hits south of Mexicali

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit 23 miles Southeast of Calexico Wednesday morning.

The quake hit at 10:48 a.m. Wednesday, with an epicenter in Mexico, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Web site.

It was followed by a 4.8 magnitude at 10:53 a.m. and more than a dozen more measuring from 2.6 to 4.0, according to the site.

The County Administration Building on Main Street in El Centro was evacuated and employees were sent home for the rest of the day, said County Executive Officer Ralph Cordova. It's protocol to evacuate after an earthquake, and employees were sent home because the initial inspection take about two to three hours.

Many employees were shaken up by the earthquake, he said. Frames fell off shelves and ceiling tiles fell in the building.

El Centro's Fire Station 1 has not received any calls about damages, said a captain at the station.

Calexico's Fire Station 2 hasn't had any related to the earthquake either, though many fire alarms did go off when the quake hit, said Calexico Fire Department Engineer Anthony Rivera.

 

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Web site

Check quicknews for updates.

-- ELIZABETH VARIN, Staff Writer

Three die in wreck at Bowker and Heber roads

HEBER --- Three people died at the corner of Bowker and Heber roads tonight when an agent with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement drove past a stop sign and broadsided the minivan they traveled in and carried two girls.

The children, ages 1 and 11, were taken to an area hospital following the 7:10 p.m. wreck and the ICE agent, whose name was not released, was also taken to a hospital. None of the names of five victims inside the minivan was released.

An team that specializes in severe fatal crashes was called out to conduct a full investigation of how the crash occurred, California Highway Patrol Capt. Jose Vasquez said. The minivan was heading east on Heber Road when it was struck by the ICE agent who was driving north on Bowker Road, Highway Patrol Officer Pablo Torrez said.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer

No one hurt in El Centro crash.

No one was hurt today when an Imperial Irrigation District service vehicle and pickup truck crashed, causing the smaller truck to nearly overturn at the small corner of Sixth Street and Orange Avenue.

El Centro Police and firefighters rushed to the scene of the 5:16 p.m. incident where a 2003 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck was on its side with a dent on the right side of its bed. The Chevrolet truck was heading south on Sixth Street while the IID vehicle was going east on Orange Avenue, El Centro Police Sgt. John Seaman said.

Both the driver of the Chevrolet truck and the man behind the wheel of the IID truck gave conflicting statements about who was at fault and there was no independent witnesses who saw what actually happened, Seaman said.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer

Governor fills vacancy in the county's superior court

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has appointed Brawley native Poli Flores Jr. to the Imperial County Superior Court, filling a vacancy that was created by the retirement of Annie Gutierrez.

Flores, who grew up in Calexico, had been a Superior Court Commissioner since October 2006 when was he was appointed by the judges of the county's superior court. He has presided over a variety of cases including family law and felony preliminary hearings.

A formal ceremony for Flores is pending, according to a press statement. Gutierrez has been retired since July 2008.

BY SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer

El Centro teens cited for allegedly displaying weapon in public, official says

Two 17-year-old El Centro boys were cited and released to their parents Tuesday for allegedly carrying pellet guns that looked like assault rifles at a home on Heil Avenue, police said.

An El Centro detective who was following up on an investigation saw the boys wearing masks and standing by a parked vehicle in the driveway of a home in the 800 block of Heil Avenue, said El Centro Police Cmdr. Ron Merideth.

The air soft guns looked like real assault rifles, prompting the detective to call for officers at the scene following the 11:30 a.m. sighting, Merideth said. It was not clear why the teens were wearing masks but they were cited for displaying a weapon in public, Merideth said.

By SILVIO J. PANTA, staff writer