Family demands answers after teen killed by multiple hit-and-runs in Desert Hot Springs
KESQ News Team
DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. — A grieving family is speaking out and demanding accountability after 18-year-old Jaime Castro was struck and killed in a tragic crash on a dark and often dangerous stretch of Indian Canyon Drive.
The fatal incident occurred on September 30th near the intersection of Indian Canyon Drive and Pierson Road — a stretch of road that lies near the border between the jurisdictions of the Desert Hot Springs Police Department and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Jaime’s parents say confusion over jurisdiction may have delayed the initial response from law enforcement. According to the family, officers could not confirm which agency was responsible for responding to the scene first.
Adding to their frustration, Jaime’s mother, Yahaira, says the area lacks proper street lighting and is notorious for speeding drivers — conditions she believes contributed to her son’s death.
News Channel 3 spoke with Desert Hot Springs Police Chief Steve Shaw, who confirmed that his department did not receive any 911 calls prior to the crash — only one after the incident had occurred.
When asked whether Indian Canyon Drive is considered a hazardous area, Chief Shaw stated that there have been no recent incidents reported prior to Jaime’s death.
Stay with News Channel 3 for more.