2 killed in crash involving Amazon van, sheriff's vehicle

An Amazon Prime delivery van struck a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department SUV stopped at the scene of a crash on Saturday evening, killing two civilians and injuring two Sheriff’s Department members who all had been standing at the initial collision scene, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The van was headed south on Van Buren Boulevard near the 56th Street intersection in Jurupa Valley at about 6:34 p.m. when it struck the Sheriff’s vehicle, sending the SUV careening into the four people, the CHP said.

The Sheriff’s Department’s vehicle was parked behind the vehicles from the previous crash blocking the No. 1 southbound lane of Van Buren with its emergency lights on, the CHP reported in a Sunday statement.

Neither of the victims killed in the second crash were identified as of Sunday, but the CHP said they were the drivers of a Ford Mustang and a Toyota Yaris that had earlier crashed into each other on Van Buren.

That initial crash, described as a property damage collision, drew a community service officer and a volunteer with the Sheriff’s Department to investigate. They pulled over at the scene at around 5:54 p.m. After the Amazon van crashed into the scene, they were taken to Riverside Community Hospital. Both suffered major injuries but are expected to make a full recovery, the CHP reported.

Sheriff’s officials haven’t said what caused the first crash between the Mustang and the Yaris.

Drug or alcohol impairment is not believed to be a factor in the collision involving the Amazon van, the CHP reported.

“I believe all vehicles were stationary, except for the Amazon Prime delivery van, which struck the (unoccupied) patrol vehicle, which pushed the patrol vehicle into four people standing in the collision investigation scene,” CHP Sgt. Steven Rusk said following the incident.

Any witnesses who may have observed the incident were encouraged to call the CHP at 951-637-8000.