Home Care in San Jacinto, CA

Deadly Collision on Sanderson Avenue

SAN JACINTO, CA (Feb. 20, 2025) — Travis Maze, 36, died early Wednesday during a multi-vehicle crash on Sanderson Avenue in San Jacinto.

The collision occurred at 6:46 a.m. on Sanderson Ave., less than a mile south of the Ramona Expressway, according to the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner.

The 36-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, but two other drivers were hospitalized with moderate injuries, the report said.

Related: A Gofundme is raising money for the family of Travis Maze

Investigators determined the man was among several northbound vehicles that collided and upon impact his vehicle veered into oncoming traffic where it was hit by a southbound car, police said.

An investigation is ongoing by the Riverside Sheriff’s Office – San Jacinto Station.

Finally, witnesses are asked to contact Deputy Cox at the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station at 951-654-2702 or Riverside County Sheriff’s Dispatch at 951-776-1099.

Legal Questions? Get Answers: 1-800-208-3538

Johnson Attorneys Group is a personal injury law firm serving clients who are injured in California due to a negligent motorist. If you would like to contribute any information or would like to discuss a potential case, please call 1-(800) 208-3538 as soon as possible. Our personal injury law firm is a proud, longtime supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Source: RCSC

Tucked away in the San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs, California, the town of Idyllwild is no stranger to wildfires, but this tight-knit community is ready for anything.

Palm Springs Desert Sun

John Drake admits he wasn't fully prepared when the Cranston Fire swept through Idyllwild, a town in the San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs, in 2018. But in this unincorporated mountain town in Riverside County, California, residents have come to understand that an important part of surviving a wildfire lies in preparation.

Leaning against the truck bed of his Mazda, parked near Red Kettle — a small, old-fashioned diner set against a backdrop of towering pines and mountain peaks — Drake recalled driving to Fern Leaf Drive less than a mile away, a spot offering sweeping views of the town.

What he saw that day were matchsticks ablaze, not trees.

"My entire horizon was a line of fire. It just took my breath away. It was cathartic," Drake said. "After that, I just knew I’m leaving next time. And so when (Southern California Edison) shuts off the power, it’s a small price to pay. I’m glad to do it. You know the comparison to what it could be. You go. You don't hang around — and you don’t become a liability for the first-responders."

Anxiety hangs in the air, but Idyllwild residents are prepared

The rural town is entering another week of heightened fire risk, as high winds that began on Jan. 7 prompted Southern California Edison to implement public safety power shutdowns. This has been deemed necessary in many wildland and wildland-adjacent areas of the Golden State, where downed power lines, or those experiencing a power surge, have sparked some of the deadliest fires in the state's history.

He, along with many others in the area, is preparing for the possibility of additional power outages throughout the week, especially as nighttime temperatures dip into the low 30s. But living in this community, where assistance is an hour or so away, requires a strong reliance on one another, Drake said.

"It’s a religion up here," he said. "You’d be surprised how much we do for each other."

Since arriving in Idyllwild with her parents after evacuating their home in Chevy Chase Canyon due to the wildfires in Los Angeles County, Ravenna Griepp has been lending a helping hand at Idyllwild Clothing Company.

"It’s been quite the breather and a big blessing," Griepp said, her voice still hoarse from the smoke. "I just worry about the winds. I don’t want the winds blowing anything toward any other place — especially for the community here, who have been so lovely."

Although she arrived in town on the same day the power was shut off, she was relieved to find safety at a nearby cabin where she was invited to stay. On her first night, she turned to local Facebook groups for restaurant recommendations after realizing the cabin had an electric stove, not the gas stove she had originally expected. There, residents were quick to offer assistance — even virtually.

When Griepp mentioned she only managed to evacuate with just one outfit, Marguerite Pfaff, who works at the clothing shop, immediately offered assistance, asking if she needed anything else and offering to make a call for support.

Residents learned their lesson from the Cranston Fire

Pfaff, a Lake Hemet resident just a short drive from Idyllwild, knows firsthand the fear of surviving a wildfire. In 2018, she was forced to evacuate from the Cranston Fire with her then-6-month-old daughter.

The Cranston Fire, which started on July 25, 2018, and was fully contained by Aug. 10, 2018, forced a mandatory evacuation of Idyllwild and other areas in the San Jacinto Mountains. The arson-caused wildfire left these communities without power for nearly two weeks in 100-degree temperatures. Similarly, the arson-caused Esperanza Fire that killed five firefighters broke out in 2005 near Cabazon, west of Palm Springs.

"A lot of us struggle with what I can only describe as PTSD from Esperanza and Cranston," Pfaff said. "We’ve been lucky so far, but there’s always that underlying concern. Because of the winds and the fire risk, there’s definitely a bag sitting at my house that has all my stuff in it. I feel more prepared, but that doesn’t stop the anxiety. But the community works together — I saw it with Cranston."

Leaning against the shop counter, Griepp nodded and said the Idyllwild Community Center and Town Hall has been an invaluable resource, especially as a charging station. Since the power shut-offs, community outreach specialists with Southern California Edison have distributed more than 200 resiliency kits with solar chargers and other resources.

"What a community," she said. "It’s been warming to the heart. I kept hearing people say, ‘Hey, let me know if you need anything, I can help you.’ Seeing all that, I feel like everybody’s here for each other to make sure they’re taken care of."

Standing outside the doors of the Idyllwild Library, Mauricio Mejia, a development specialist with the Riverside County Library System and the Riverside County Office of Economic Development, is greeting community members at the door to invite them in for free water and bags of ice.

On a typical Sunday, the Idyllwild Library is closed. However, since Saturday, it has served as a distribution point until 10 p.m. for those still without power and in need of assistance. While most of the community has had their power restored since Thursday, Mejia acknowledged that some areas are still affected and that they are prepared to continue providing service.

'When you live up here, you learn early to be prepared'

The same Santa Ana wind event that helped spark five wildfires last week that are still burning in Los Angeles County severely impacted a local mobile home park, with some residents losing their homes, said Shannon Ng, deputy director with the county library system.

GoFundMe accounts were quickly set up, and many of the affected residents have found temporary, rent-free housing until their situations are resolved.

"There’s a lot of hometown help,” she said, a longtime resident of Idyllwild and also part of the community emergency response team. "When you live up here, you learn early to be prepared to take care of things. When something goes south, there’s people right away to help."

Without skipping a beat, the two said they feel prepared to handle whatever challenges arise in order to support the community.

"We’re ready," Meija said. "It’s a really nice place to be in an emergency."

Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.