A 36-year-old motorist killed after his Maserati SUV skidded down an embankment and plowed into a tree in Moreno Valley ran into a tractor-trailer at high speed just before going out of control, authorities said Monday.
Timothy Carr of Moreno Valley was fatally injured in the predawn hours Saturday along the eastbound Moreno Valley (60) Freeway near Frederick Street, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Officer Juan Quintero said that Carr was at the wheel of a 2018 Maserati about 2:40 a.m., “traveling at a high rate of speed,” when he abruptly swerved out of the eastbound slow lane and into the adjacent lane, where the big rig was located.
“The driver … struck the right rear of the semi,” Quintero said. “The force of the impact separated the roof of the Maserati and was torn open to the rear seating area.”
The compact SUV spun off of the freeway and went down the embankment, crashing into the tree, according to Quintero.
The trucker stopped and called 911, he said.
Riverside County Fire Department paramedics reached the location within a few minutes and found Carr unconscious and severely injured but clinging to life, according to the CHP spokesman.
The victim, who was alone in the vehicle, was extricated a short time later and taken to Riverside University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, authorities said.
An autopsy was pending.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the Riverside CHP office at 951-637-8000.