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Crime & Safety

Crash Involving Elderly Driver Floods Jefferson Avenue

The driver, approximately 72 years old, suffered a medical emergency just prior to the crash, authorities said.

Water spewed out onto Jefferson Avenue in Murrieta Saturday when an elderly driver who may have been suffering from a medical condition crashed into a backflow device.

The incident was reported at 11:29 a.m. at 24381 Jefferson Avenue, just south of Juniper Street, according to Murrieta police Sgt. Dave Baca, who was on scene.

"Several callers called our dispatch center explaining that there was a vehicle...on its side or possibly upside down," Baca said.

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Responding emergency personnel found the vehicle right side up, the sergeant said.

"Fortunately, it is right here next to the police station. We had a unit here within minutes after the call came out," Baca said.

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The elderly driver and his wife were both transported to the hospital to be evaluated for injuries.

"The driver is almost 72 years old...Apparently he suffers from some medical issues and may have fallen asleep at the wheel...traveling southbound on Jefferson at about 50 mph possibly,"  Baca said.

Consequently, the car hit a curb, landed up an embankment and onto a backflow device.

Personnel from the Murrieta Fire Department and Western Municipal Water District were on scene.

Paramedics encountered the driver while he was still in the vehicle.

"The patient had a medical emergency—it appeared—prior to the accident and lost control of his vehicle," said Murrieta Fire Department Spokesman Matt Corelli.

The backflow device he hit services a business complex that currently has one tenant, according to Western Municipal Spokeswoman Michele McKinney Underwood, who said the device had since been turned off and isolated. 

Since backflow devices are the responsibility of property owners, McKinney Underwood said property management had been notified and were en route to the scene.

Following the incident, McKinney Underwood said the district had received some reports of "brown water." She explained that brown water occurs when sediment—the area is serviced by well water—gets stirred up.

She assured customers the water was chlorinated and safe to drink, though it may take a few hours for the water to appear normal again.

One lane on Jefferson was cordoned off as of about noon Saturday due to the incident.

—Maggie Avants contributed to this report.

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