3 Dead After Wrong-Way Driver Enters 10 Freeway In Desert

BLYTHE, CA — Three people were killed over the weekend in a two-vehicle, head-on crash on Interstate 10, west of Blythe, and the fatal collision is being blamed on an apparent wrong-way driver.

A wrong-way driver was reported around 6:30 a.m. Sunday. The motorist was driving in I-10 westbound lanes near mile marker 124, according to a California Highway Patrol incident log.

The crash was reported minutes later, at around 6:35 a.m.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner's Bureau, the following people were killed as a result of the crash:

• Fernando Lomeli, 38, of Riverside
• Jose Luis Jr. Lomeli, 44, of Riverside
• Maria Dolores Romero Davila, 36, of Phoenix, Arizona

Fernando Lomeli died less than three hours after the crash at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs. The other two victims were pronounced dead at the crash scene.

It's unclear whether any of the deceased were identified as the wrong-way driver. No arrests were announced.

During the crash investigation, a SigAlert was issued near mile marker 129, and traffic was diverted off the freeway. All I-10 lanes were reopened as of 10:40 a.m. Sunday.

It's unclear whether alcohol and/or drugs contributed to the crash, which remains under investigation by the CHP.