Two Killed, Four Injured in Hemet Crash Involving Fire Engine and Mini Cooper A collision between a Mini Cooper and a fire engine resulted in the deaths of two individuals, including a 10-year-old boy, and injuries to four others, among them three firefighters. The incident occurred on Friday, June 5, around 12:35 p.m., at the intersection of State Street and Domenigoni Parkway in Hemet, where Domenigoni becomes Gibbel Road. The crash happened as the fire engine was en route to a vegetation blaze east of the city. Officials confirmed that the driver of the Mini Cooper died at the scene. The 10-year-old boy, who was seated in the front passenger seat, succumbed to his injuries at Inland Valley Hospital. A young passenger in the back seat was hospitalized for evaluation, though all three occupants of the sedan were reported to be wearing seat belts. The three firefighters involved in the collision sustained minor injuries and were hospitalized. The fire engine, traveling north on State Street with its emergency lights and siren activated, collided with the Mini Cooper, which was heading west on Gibbel Road. While emergency vehicles are granted the right of way at intersections with traffic signals or stop signs, the state Vehicle Code mandates that drivers of such vehicles exercise “due regard” for the safety of other motorists. However, details about which vehicle had the right of way at the intersection remained unclear, as traffic lights were present at the location. The fire engine in question was part of a strike team from the Tulare Unit in Visalia, California, which operates between Bakersfield and Fresno. This strike team, typically consisting of five engines and a leader, was deployed to Southern California to address multiple wildfires.#state_street #mini_cooper #fire_engine #domenigoni_parkway #tulare_unit
