Two Men Identified in Deadly I-10 Crash Near Cathedral City; Semi Truck Driver at Fault

Authorities have identified the two men who lost their lives in Wednesday’s deadly six-car collision on Interstate 10 near Cathedral City.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Coroner Office, the victims are 58-year-old Francisco Leone of Desert Hot Springs and 49-year-old Miguel Macias of Santa Ana.

The crash happened just after 7 a.m. near the Bob Hope Drive exit. Law enforcement reports confirm that a big rig traveling westbound on I-10 lost control, crashed through the center guardrails, and overturned into the eastbound lanes. Several oncoming vehicles collided with the overturned trailer.

Alarming footage shared on social media captured the moment the semi truck veered across the median and flipped, showing just how sudden and serious the incident was.

Cal Fire Riverside confirmed that in addition to the two fatalities, five people were injured in the collision. One person was ejected from their vehicle during the crash. All injured individuals were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has stated that the semi truck driver was found at fault for the collision. The investigation into what caused the driver to lose control is still underway.

Traffic on I-10 eastbound was closed for several hours Wednesday morning as emergency responders worked at the scene. All lanes have since reopened.

NBC Palm Springs will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.