Lake Elsinore Man Killed In Wrong-way Crash ID'd By Coroner

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A 26-year-old man who was killed Saturday morning in a crash on state Route 74 om Perris has been identified by the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner's Bureau.

Abraham Cortez-Rodriguez of Lake Elsinore died at the crash scene after he allegedly drove in the wrong direction on the roadway.

The incident was reported around 5:50 a.m. on SR-74, west of Edward Street, according to the coroner. Cortez-Rodriguez was traveling the wrong way in westbound lanes in a 2004 Honda Accord when the driver of a 2000 Nissan Pathfinder "took evasive action" and steered their vehicle to the left to avoid the sedan, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Cortez-Rodriguez steered to the right and the vehicles collided, the CHP said.

Cortez-Rodriguez was pronounced dead about 12 minutes after the crash, while the 52-year-old Lake Elsinore man driving the Pathfinder was hospitalized with major injuries, according to the CHP.

Both crash vehicles blocked the westbound and eastbound number one lanes of the highway, just west of Ellis Avenue, the CHP said.

Officials said that impaired driving is suspected to have played a role.