A 24-year-old man was arrested in connection with a traffic collision that killed three people last year in Palm Desert, authorities said Saturday.
Ricardo Meza of Palm Desert was arrested on suspicion of three counts of homicide after a month-long investigation into the two-vehicle collision on Dec. 28.
On that day, deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Palm Desert station say they witnessed a 2021 Honda Accord traveling westbound on Fred Waring Drive at a high rate of speed at the intersection of Monterey Avenue at 7:13 p.m.
Deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but saw the Accord involved in a crash two miles away with a 2015 Nissan Sentra at Fred Waring Drive and Adonis Drive. The driver and the two occupants of the Sentra died at the scene, according to the department. Meza was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Authorities said an investigation revealed that Meza was traveling over 100 mph when his vehicle collided with the Sentra, which was attempting to make a left turn.
It was not known whether drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.
Deputies from the Palm Desert Traffic Team in collaboration with the Palm Desert Investigations Bureau, Palm Desert Burglary Suppression Unit and the Fugitive Warrant Enforcement Team located Meza in the 67000 block of Dillon Road in South Desert Hot Springs on Friday. He was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio and was being held without bail, according to sheriff’s officials.
Anyone with information about the fatal crash was encouraged to contact Deputy Derek Thomas at the Palm Desert station at 760-836-1600.