A 21-mile stretch of Highway 74 was shut down Wednesday for a Riverside County sheriff’s investigation near the town of Pinyon Crest that reportedly involves a dead child found near the site of a vehicle crash.
The California Highway Patrol reported a vehicle plunged about 200 feet off the side of the road while traveling on Highway 74 near Bighorn Drive at 8:57 a.m., and also reported at least one person was dead at the scene, although no other details were provided.
Sheriff’s deputies told KESQ that a “deceased child” was found near the crash site, and that the incident stemmed from an earlier call near Southwest Church in Indian Wells.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department sent a tweet at 9:30 a.m. asking residents to keep away from mile marker 86 due to “police activity,” adding that there was “no suspect outstanding.”
“This is an active and ongoing investigation,” the department later tweeted at 10:16 a.m., “there’s no current threat to the public.”
Sheriff’s officials did not provide additional details.
Highway 74 was closed as of 11:45 a.m. in both directions from Highway 371 to the Palm Desert city limits, the CHP reported, expect for locals who are being allowed in to access their homes.
No reopening time was given.