A single-vehicle collision in Cathedral City, California, has resulted in the death of one person and left another in critical condition. The incident occurred on September 26, 2023, at approximately 6:23 p.m. on Varner Road's eastbound lanes, near the intersection of Palm Drive.
According to Cathedral City police, upon arrival at the scene, officers discovered that the vehicle had collided with an electrical pole, ejecting both occupants. Tragically, one of the individuals, identified as 19-year-old Rodolfo Arellano of Cathedral City, was pronounced dead at the scene by CCFD Paramedics. The other occupant, who sustained critical injuries in the collision, was urgently transported to Desert Regional Medical Center by CCFD Paramedics and remains in critical condition.
As both occupants were ejected from the vehicle, officers were unable to determine the identity of the driver at the time of the crash. Consequently, the Cathedral City Police Department Traffic Investigators have taken charge of the investigation. The affected stretch of Varner Road was temporarily closed to facilitate the initial investigative efforts of the CCPD Traffic Unit but reopened a few hours later.
The exact cause of the collision is still under investigation, but preliminary findings suggest that speed may have played a role. Authorities have not yet determined whether alcohol or drugs were contributing factors. The Cathedral City Police Department is urging anyone with information about the incident to contact CCPD Traffic Investigator Kevin Ramirez via email at kramirez@cathedralcity.gov or call the Cathedral City Police Department at 760-770-0300. Alternatively, anonymous information can be reported through Coachella Valley Crime Stoppers at 760-431-STOP or through the WeTip hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME.