Seven people were taken to local hospitals Saturday evening after a three-vehicle collision at the intersection of Searl Parkway and Domenigoni Parkway, with a distracted driver reportedly at the center of the crash.
The Hemet Police Department and Hemet Fire Department were dispatched to the scene following a call received at approximately 5:10 p.m. Responding crews found multiple injured parties and began triaging victims at the scene before transport.
The driver of a white truck told officers at the scene she was looking down at her GPS device when the traffic signal changed. By the time she looked up, the light had already turned red and she was unable to stop, sending her vehicle into two others traveling through the intersection.
Emergency responders evaluated several individuals on scene. Seven people in total were transported to area hospitals, with injuries ranging from minor to serious.
The collision temporarily disrupted traffic flow in the surrounding area. First responders worked the scene for approximately two and a half hours before the roadway was cleared.
The intersection of Searl Parkway and Domenigoni Parkway is a heavily traveled corridor in the Hemet area of Riverside County. No further details about the other vehicles or their occupants were released at the scene.
The investigation into the collision remains ongoing. No citations or charges had been announced at the time of this report.