Victim Identified in Fatal Rancho Mirage Crash That Damaged Historic Elephant Car Wash Sign

The man who died in a fatal Tuesday-morning crash on Highway 111 in Rancho Mirage has now been identified. 

24-year-old Skyler Agar of San Pedro died when his vehicle struck a light pole near Indian Trail just before 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The collision also damaged the historic Elephant Car Wash sign, a roadside fixture that has stood along the highway for decades. He was the only occupant of the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash forced a full westbound closure of Highway 111 between Rancho Las Palmas Drive and Indian Trail for several hours Tuesday morning, backing up eastbound traffic well past Indian Trail as signals ran on red flash.

Investigators from the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station's Collision Reconstruction Team are handling the case, though the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Deputy Derek Thomas at (760) 836-1600 or Riverside County Sheriff's Dispatch at (760) 836-3215.