A pedestrian was hit and seriously injured Tuesday by a pickup truck involved in a collision at a Riverside intersection that authorities said stemmed from the driver being under the influence.
The crash happened at about 12:05 p.m. on Van Buren Boulevard at Challen Avenue, according to the Riverside Police Department.
Sgt. Ryan Taack said a 47-year-old man at the wheel of a Chevrolet Colorado was going south on Van Buren at an unknown speed and ignored a red traffic light at Challen.
About that time, a 20-year-old motorist driving a Toyota Corolla initiated a left turn onto Challen from northbound Van Buren on a green arrow, culminating in the pickup impacting the smaller vehicle, Taack said.
“The collision caused the Chevy to leave the roadway on the west side of Van Buren, where it struck a male pedestrian walking on the sidewalk,” the sergeant said.
He said the victim, whose identity was not disclosed, suffered major injuries and was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Neither motorist was hurt, and there were no passengers, according to Taack.
During interviews with both drivers, whose identities were not released, patrol officers determined that they were each allegedly under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Taack said.
Both were arrested at the scene on suspicion of DUI, he said.
The intersection was partially blocked for several hours as a result of the wreck.