Authorities on Thursday identified two women killed when an Amazon Prime delivery truck slammed into a Riverside County sheriff’s vehicle at the scene of a collision in Jurupa Valley.
Ailene Beazley, 86, of Valley Center, and Monica Lopez, 35, of Riverside, died Saturday evening at the intersection of Van Buren Boulevard and 56th Street.
The crash also injured two sheriff’s personnel and the Amazon driver, according to the California Highway Patrol, which is handling the investigation at the request of the sheriff’s department.
Juan Quintero of the CHP said that at about 5:50 p.m. Saturday, Beazley and Lopez were involved in a non-injury collision on southbound Van Buren at 56th.
Because it was an accident and did not involve any suspected criminal acts, a sheriff’s community service officer went to the scene with a volunteer.
They parked their marked sheriff’s SUV in the roadway for the safety of the two motorists, who stayed with their respective vehicles, Quintero said.
He said the SUV blocked the No. 1 lane on the southbound side of Van Buren, with overhead lights activated and flashing.
Roughly 40 minutes later, while the non-sworn officer and volunteer spoke with the motorists, an Amazon Prime delivery van, going an unknown speed, entered the intersection via southbound Van Buren. It plowed into the sheriff’s vehicle, according to Quintero.
“The preliminary investigation revealed that the force of the collision pushed the patrol vehicle in a southerly direction and struck the four pedestrians,” the CHP spokesman said.
Beazley and Lopez died on impact, he said. The CSO and volunteer each suffered major injuries, and the Amazon driver suffered minor injuries, according to Quintero.
“Drugs or alcohol impairment are not believed to be factors in the collision,” he said.
Quintero said the three injured parties were taken to Riverside Community Hospital for treatment. They are expected to recover, he said.
The investigation is ongoing. No arrests have been made.
An Amazon statement released to City News Service reads: “We’re deeply saddened by this terrible accident, and our thoughts and sympathies are with those involved and their loved ones during this difficult time. We are working closely with law enforcement as they investigate.”