A 32-year-old Canyon Lake man has been identified as the driver killed early Thursday when his SUV barreled the wrong way down Domenigoni Parkway in Hemet and slammed head-on into a pickup truck. Jordan Fontenot was pronounced dead at the scene, while the pickup driver was rushed to a hospital with injuries that remain undisclosed.
According to MyNewsLA, Fontenot was driving the wrong way on Domenigoni Parkway when his silver SUV collided with the pickup. Johnson Attorneys Group reports the vehicles involved were a silver Infiniti QX SUV and a blue Toyota Tundra pickup, the latter of which suffered major front-end damage in the impact. As reported by the Press-Enterprise, the two vehicles collided near the intersection of Domenigoni Parkway and Warren Road.
The pickup's driver stayed at the scene to cooperate with investigators, per the same account, and was later hospitalized with injuries that Hemet Police spokesperson Judith Gibson could not further detail. A dog riding in one of the vehicles also died from injuries suffered in the crash, according to the Press-Enterprise. Gibson said impairment is suspected as a factor in the crash but told the outlet she could not confirm specifics, since investigators are still awaiting toxicology results.
Road Closed for Hours as Investigators Worked the Scene
The collision happened around 12:13 a.m. Thursday, prompting Hemet Police to shut down westbound Domenigoni Parkway between Sanderson Avenue and Warren Road for more than six hours, according to a Hemet Police Department press release. The roadway remained closed until 6:30 a.m. as police investigated the crash. Hemet police investigated the crash.
Fontenot's identity was initially withheld by police pending notification of his family, a standard step before investigators release a deceased driver's name. Accidentreports.com notes that fatal investigations can take several months, while routine non-fatal traffic reports are typically ready within six to eight business days for a $5 fee.
A Corridor With a Painful Recent History
Thursday's crash adds to a troubling stretch for Domenigoni Parkway. In an earlier Hemet crash at Lincoln Avenue and the Ramona Expressway, 41-year-old Nicolas McWhirter and his 9-year-old son Dominic were killed, according to CBS News. That incident, along with Thursday's fatal wrong-way collision, has kept local attention fixed on traffic safety along the busy arterial.
The Hemet crash occurred in Riverside County.
What State Data Shows About Wrong-Way Crashes
Wrong-way collisions remain a traffic-safety concern in California. The California Office of Traffic Safety provides information about wrong-way drivers. In the Hemet crash, impairment is suspected as a factor, but toxicology results are pending.
Toxicology results could help clarify whether impairment played a role in the crash. The status of any charges has not been publicly reported, and the pickup driver's condition has not been publicly updated since the crash.
