The fatal crash occurred at approximately 5:17 a.m. on the eastbound Interstate 10 off-ramp at Intake Boulevard near the U.S. 95 Exit 241.
Blythe, CA – The authorities have released the names of three construction workers who were killed after a big rig caused a crash involving multiple vehicles on I-10 in Blythe early Friday morning.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office identified the three deceased construction workers as
39-year-old Francisco Morales Mendoza from Tonopah, Arizona, 50-year-old Alfonso Vega Torres from Coachella, and 27- year-old Christopher Benavidez Guatemala, also from Coachella, California.
All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident occurred at about 5:17 a.m. on September 25, 2026, on I-10 East approximately 800ft west of S Intake Boulevard, and involved a big rig, a water truck, a Chevrolet Silverado, and a parked attenuator construction vehicle.
Original Story
Blythe, CA – Three construction workers were killed and a big rig driver was seriously injured after a four-vehicle crash involving highway work vehicles on Interstate 10 near Blythe early Friday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The fatal crash occurred at approximately 5:17 a.m. on the eastbound Interstate 10 off-ramp at Intake Boulevard near the U.S. 95 Exit 241.
CHP said a semi-truck, operated by a 44-year-old Redlands man, was traveling east when it struck a parked attenuator construction vehicle and an unoccupied Chevrolet Silverado before colliding with a water truck.
Investigators said three construction workers were struck and sustained fatal injuries in the incident. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Redlands man suffered serious head and leg injuries and was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs.
Investigators said alcohol and drugs are not believed to have been factors in the collision. The cause of the crash has not been determined.
The impact left the semi overturned and fully engulfed in flames, with its trailer torn apart. The collision also ignited brush and trees near the freeway and scattered debris across the roadway.
A SigAlert closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 as crews conducted the on-scene investigation and cleared the wreckage. Motorists were urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes.
The California Highway Patrol continues to investigate the fatal Blythe crash