A 36-year-old Desert Hot Springs man was killed early Sunday morning when a car turned left into the path of his motorcycle at a Palm Springs intersection, and now his family is grieving while an investigation into the crash continues. Lester Cordero was pronounced dead at the scene near North Indian Canyon Drive and Teagarden Drive, just days after his family had been looking forward to his December wedding.
According to preliminary findings from the California Highway Patrol relayed by Patch, the collision happened around 7 a.m. on August 16 when a 61-year-old Desert Hot Springs woman driving a silver Kia made a left turn directly into the path of Cordero's southbound motorcycle, ejecting him on impact. Cordero was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the same Patch report. The California Highway Patrol confirmed through reporting by KESQ that neither alcohol nor drugs are suspected as contributing factors in the crash.
The driver of the Kia was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs after reporting minor injuries, per MyNewsLA's account of the crash. The investigation remains open, the outlet reports.
A Wedding Planned, A Family Left Grieving
Cordero had hoped to start a family of his own and was planning a wedding for December, according to NBC Palm Springs. His family, who live in Desert Hot Springs, described him as someone who was always there for them. His brother-in-law remembered him as a man who never missed a moment for the people he loved.
One family member, speaking to the outlet, put the loss in stark terms: “I never thought my brother would be a cross coming home.” Another added, “I thought I was always going to come home to him and see him.” The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover expenses following Cordero's death.
The reference to a roadside cross was not incidental. Cordero's family told the station they now notice roadside memorials marking crash fatalities scattered across the Coachella Valley — a grim, informal landmark system many local families have come to recognize only after loss. Those makeshift descansos are distinct from California's official Victims Memorial Sign Program, which allows families to apply for a “Please Drive Safely” sign, but only along state highways rather than city streets or county roads, according to Caltrans guidelines.
A Dangerous Stretch of Road
North Indian Canyon Drive was the site of the crash described above. The road also runs past Desert Regional Medical Center, the Coachella Valley's only designated Level 1 trauma center.
A City of Palm Springs project involves Indian Canyon Drive and Sunrise Parkway.
Crashes like the one that killed Cordero remain a troubling concern. The California Strategic Highway Safety Plan Report for 2020-2024 addresses motorcycle safety. California's Highway Safety Plan 2021 also addresses motorcycle safety.
Part of a Larger Statewide Trend
Cordero's death is a sobering loss. Nationally, motorcycle safety remains a concern.
For now, the CHP's investigation into the exact circumstances of the crash continues, and no additional details on potential fault have been released. Cordero's family, meanwhile, is focused on honoring a man they say was devoted to the people around him, even as they navigate funeral costs and the sudden absence of someone they expected to keep coming home.
