Banning Man ID'd In Deadly Beaumont Wreck

BEAUMONT, CA — A Banning resident was killed over the weekend after being hit by a car on the outskirts of the Badlands, officials reported Monday. The man was publicly identified as 48-year-old David Martinez.

The crash happened around 4:45 a.m. Saturday on State Route 60 near Jack Rabbit Trail, according to CHP Officer Darren Meyer. A man in a 2006 Toyota Corolla was headed eastbound on the freeway when he struck Martinez.

"The pedestrian, for reasons not known at this time, walked into the traffic lane directly in the path of the Corolla, resulting in a collision," Meyer said. "The pedestrian sustained fatal injuries as a result and was pronounced deceased at the scene."

Coroner's records show Martinez died about 25 minutes after the collision.

The CHP is investigating the crash.

— Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone