Oldphart Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 10:00 PM PDT on Monday, August 27, 2007 By SARAH BURGE The Press-Enterprise A 54-year-old man was arrested Saturday night after leaving the scene of a crash in Perris with the body of a motorcyclist lodged in the rear window of the car he was driving. California Highway Patrol spokesman Ron Thatcher said the motorcycle rider, Nicholas Justin Campbell, 20, of Moreno Valley, was driving east on Highway 74 near Ethanac Road in Perris shortly before 8 p.m. when a car pulled in front of him from a parking lot. The motorcycle, which was going about 80 mph, crashed into the back of the car, throwing the rider through the rear window, Thatcher said. The driver, Tony Martinez, of Perris, drove away from the scene of the crash only to realize once he got home that Campbell was in his car, Thatcher said. From there, Martinez drove to the nearby Riverside County fire station on Steel Peak Drive, where he attempted to remove Campbell's body from the car, Thatcher said. Campbell was pronounced dead at 8:20 p.m. in the driveway of the fire station, a coroner's news release said. Martinez was booked into the Southwest Detention Center on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter, hit and run and driving under the influence, jail records show. His bail was set at $75,000. Vivian Gomez, of Moreno Valley, whose granddaughter was a friend of Campbell, said she was at the scene shortly after the crash happened. Three other friends riding with Campbell called right after the accident, Gomez said. "They said, 'Nick, he crashed. And we can't find his body anywhere.' " "They were looking for Nick when we got there," Gomez said. "These boys were running up and down ... trying to find his body. Then they got the call that he was at the Fire Department." Gomez said Campbell had gone to Valley View High School in Moreno Valley and worked for about two years stocking stores for the Coca-Cola Co. Gomez said she couldn't imagine how someone could drive away with a person hanging out of his car. "The boy possibly might have lived. He might have made it under proper care," Gomez said. "If he had stopped, Nick would have had a chance." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary2Wheels Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 ...What horrible story....maybe a public hanging would help deliver some insight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falcon Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 I have no love lost for the drunk driver, but perhaps the rider could have stopped in time if he hadn't been doing 80? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maldev Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 80mph in a parking lot? Sad accident otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOE Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 80mph in a parking lot?Sad accident otherwise. that is just how you west coasters ride. i've been telling you that for two years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanda Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 I have ridden that road many times and on Sundays especially, the crotch rockets use that highway for a race track. It is a beautiful ride but very dangerous. Not uncommon the crashes and fatalities. Sorry for their loss. Shanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Last Resort Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 State Route 74 contains both the Ortega Highway and Palms to Pines which are two of the many great rides in Southern California. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 ...or had the rider been running at, oh say 100 mph he might have blown by the nitwit before the drunken merderer pulled out. What if What if Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdog Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Nice road. I always love the Ortega highway. Fun times with the SoCal Peeps. I think this might be one of the couple of places I met RCH. We rode the Ortega over to Elsinore and he met us at the corner. California is full of roads with spectacuklar open space vistas. Riders - including rice rockets are aware of the dangers. If you add a drunk to the mix all bets are off and no matter how you cut it a drunk on the road is at fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tahoe Chief Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 10:00 PM PDT on Monday, August 27, 2007 By SARAH BURGE The Press-Enterprise A 54-year-old man was arrested Saturday night after leaving the scene of a crash in Perris with the body of a motorcyclist lodged in the rear window of the car he was driving. California Highway Patrol spokesman Ron Thatcher said the motorcycle rider, Nicholas Justin Campbell, 20, of Moreno Valley, was driving east on Highway 74 near Ethanac Road in Perris shortly before 8 p.m. when a car pulled in front of him from a parking lot. The motorcycle, which was going about 80 mph, crashed into the back of the car, throwing the rider through the rear window, Thatcher said. The driver, Tony Martinez, of Perris, drove away from the scene of the crash only to realize once he got home that Campbell was in his car, Thatcher said. From there, Martinez drove to the nearby Riverside County fire station on Steel Peak Drive, where he attempted to remove Campbell's body from the car, Thatcher said. Campbell was pronounced dead at 8:20 p.m. in the driveway of the fire station, a coroner's news release said. Martinez was booked into the Southwest Detention Center on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter, hit and run and driving under the influence, jail records show. His bail was set at $75,000. Vivian Gomez, of Moreno Valley, whose granddaughter was a friend of Campbell, said she was at the scene shortly after the crash happened. Three other friends riding with Campbell called right after the accident, Gomez said. "They said, 'Nick, he crashed. And we can't find his body anywhere.' " "They were looking for Nick when we got there," Gomez said. "These boys were running up and down ... trying to find his body. Then they got the call that he was at the Fire Department." Gomez said Campbell had gone to Valley View High School in Moreno Valley and worked for about two years stocking stores for the Coca-Cola Co. Gomez said she couldn't imagine how someone could drive away with a person hanging out of his car. "The boy possibly might have lived. He might have made it under proper care," Gomez said. "If he had stopped, Nick would have had a chance." Makes me wanna go talk to him real bad and close up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeanGene Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 It doesn't say he was going 80 mph in a parking lot- it says "a car pulled in front of him from a parking lot". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanadapa Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 It doesn't say he was going 80 mph in a parking lot- it says "a car pulled in front of him from a parking lot".both were wrong, though only one is dead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary2Wheels Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 .....yeah,but the fact that Mr. Martinez was still driving around drunk, with the guy as a kill hanging from his car....then dies .Who is more at fault? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Last Resort Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 .....yeah,but the fact that Mr. Martinez was still driving around drunk, with the guy as a kill hanging from his car....then dies .Who is more at fault? And far be it from me to bring this up... But that area is known to have a higher then average illegal population. If he did happen to be in that group I wonder how many times this was known by any government agency and they failed to remove him from the country. So many bullshit police departments won't do anything when they find illegals saying it isn't there job to enforce federal laws. Then why the fuck do the local assholes show up at bank robbery's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hasbin Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 I would think his driving & arrest record could be accessed, If it was found that in fact he is illegal & has been previously arrested there might be room for a landmark case. I think the lil moto onthe door says "to serve and protect" NOT "to eat & drink free coffee & doughnuts" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOE Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 And far be it from me to bring this up... But that area is known to have a higher then average illegal population. If he did happen to be in that group I wonder how many times this was known by any government agency and they failed to remove him from the country. So many bullshit police departments won't do anything when they find illegals saying it isn't there job to enforce federal laws. Then why the fuck do the local assholes show up at bank robbery's? exactly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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